


Rise and Fall

by AngelBless



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blood and Violence, Drama, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Swearing, but nothing too graphically described, can be promptis if you want, sorry noct, spoilers until the end of chapter 13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-18
Updated: 2017-03-26
Packaged: 2018-09-25 10:10:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 27,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9814799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AngelBless/pseuds/AngelBless
Summary: "Taking in a deep breath and steadying himself, Noctis raised his arm and prepared to strike. He wasn’t prepared for the Armiger Arsenal disappearing before his eyes"Story divergent AU starting from chapter 10. An argument between Noctis and Gladio goes too far and the consequences are immense.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Woohoo, first multi-chaptered fic in 9 years! This idea started as a something really short and self-indulgant, but then kinda turned into this mini beast of an AU. Trying to mix in some potential foreshadowing from the game. Really hoping there aren't too many character inconsistencies or errors! Enjoy!

“So, are you just gonna keep dragging your heels or are you gonna try leading for once?” Noctis growled at Gladio’s sharp words. The further they delved deeper into the Fodina Caestino Mine, the more abrasive and contradictory his sniping got. He'd already been told off for going on ahead, even when he was clearing the area of any threat.

“Maybe,” he responded, his words spoken slowly and deliberately. “I'm hanging back to help Ignis like you keep saying, so can you get off my back and stop whining already?” Ignis let out an irritated sigh; it was like the two enjoyed using his current state to win points in this useless ongoing argument.

“Guys, can we not--?” Prompto tried to say, getting cut off with a glare from Gladio as the man stopped walking. Noct passed right by and continued on wordlessly.

“Can it, Prompto,” he growled. “I’m much more interested in what _His Majesty_ has to say. About me ‘whining’, was it?”

“Yeah, whining. So if we can _just_ get on with things--”

“‘Cause you’re doing such a _good_ job with that so far.”

“Piss off.”

Gladio sped up and grabbed Noctis by the collar of his jacket, pulling him back into a glare. “So when are you gonna get your act together and start behaving like a king, then? If you’re _so good_ at ‘getting on with things’.”

“Then I guess it’s not good enough that I’m here, _trying_ to get this over with.”

“Saving your own damn kingdom isn’t something you can just _get over with_ like a test you didn’t study for, Noct.” His gripped tightened on the prince’s jacket. “Did your father see dying for the sake of a self-centered brat like you as ‘getting it over with’? Did _my_ father? Or Jared, or Luna, or everyone else who had the ridiculous idea that you were actually something special?”

“Gladio!” Ignis’ tone was sharp. No civilised debate would solve any of this until they’d both cooled down. It just needed to stop. Gladio let go of Noct’s jacket and took a few steps back.

“Tell me what they died for, Noct,” he said firmly. “So you could pocket that ring and treat every chance they gave you with contempt?”

Noctis’ head was low, not daring to look away from the taller man. So many answers screamed in his head, too muddled to truly make sense off. His bitterness bubbling to the surface, he turned away.

“Maybe they were wrong to die for me,” he finally said. “They shouldn’t have bothered.” The atmosphere grew tenser, even more so than the stifling air around them. Gladio took in a deep breath, watching Noct’s back.

“A whiny little shit like you ain't no king.”

“ _Fine by me._ ”

A final sharp glare at Gladio and Noctis had stormed off further into mine. Ignis let out a low groan at the mess that had unravelled before him, pinching the bridge of his nose. Prompto glanced between the prince and the shield, a panicked look in his eyes, as he took a few steps towards following Noctis.

“Prompto, just leave him.” It sounded like an order as he placed his hand on Ignis’ shoulder to guide him back to the mine entrance.

“But I--” Prompto stammered in response, before backing down and meekly following the larger man.

* * *

The creatures in Noctis’ way didn't stand a chance, with the foul mood he was in. He cut them down easily and carried on his way, with no real thought to his destination. Anywhere, really. The argument flashed through his mind to the point where his heart raced and his head was pounding. He felt the weight of the Ring of the Lucii deep within his pocket more than ever, pulling at him unbearably. Its presence weighed constantly in the back of his mind, a ceaseless reminder of what he had lost and what he was yet to lose.

Absentmindedly, he dug his hand into his pocket, fingers feeling the design of the ring, before grasping it tightly in his palm and pulling it out. He couldn’t even bear to look at it without everything that was lost bubbling from his stomach up to his throat, seeing the raw power exude from it into his very core, making it hard to breathe. Willing himself to open his fist, he let out a frustrated cry and simply let it hang to his side. This stupid ring, this _cursed_ ring, this ring that stole the life from his father, soon to steal his too. The ring that so many he loved had died for, mocking him for his lack of strength to save them with its very presence. The regret of his words as he left hung over him, as heavy as the ring he held, and he forced his mind blank. He didn’t even feel like he was part of his own body when his fist loosened, the ring dropping to the ground as he walked away.

The pressure he’d felt lifted within seconds, sweet relief flowing through him, and it was soon out of his mind, like it had never even happened. After a while of squelching through slippery mud and boggy water silently, something unusual caught his eye. It looked like...balloons? No, that wasn't right. All else forgotten, he went to take a closer look.

“They're...eggs?” he wondered aloud as he peered at and around the strange objects, before landing his sights on something much more important; a very familiar looking door. “The Royal Tomb? It's _here_?” A pause as he considered his position. “I guess if I come back with this, it’s one less thing for Gladio to bitch at me over.” His mind briefly thought back to the ring, which would also be a point of contention, but was soon brushed aside once more with a shrug. “I’ll pick it up on the way back.” He tried to squeeze his way through the eggs, before deciding on cutting them down. He didn't have time for this. What he also didn't have time for the monstrous roar and crashing water that assaulted his ears from behind. He spun around, Engine Blade materialising in his hand as the horrendous flailing visage of a Malboro loomed before him, tentacles flailing and numerous teeth on show. “...Shit.”

Clearly it was mad that Noctis had threatened its eggs, but Noctis was just as mad that its eggs were covering up the doorway that contained a very valuable treasure. Thrusting forward to stab into the creature, he was forced away as its tentacles flailed towards him. Warping out of the way to gain some distance, the Malboro gave chase, spewing out noxious gas as it closed the distance between them. Covering his mouth to escape the worst of it, the effects were still fast and harsh. He doubled over, hacking and coughing, grip tightening around the hilt of his blade as he straightened up to face his foe once more, his head feeling lighter as the the toxic fumes dispersed.

“You want some?!” His voice choked up as he yelled but he didn’t care; he lunged towards the damned creature once more, opting for his great sword for heavier damage. It worked somewhat better as heavy metal sliced clean through, more gas pouring from the monstrous plant’s mouth in retaliation. Noct warped away again, staggering a little as he inhaled more of the toxins. Was it just the oppressive haze in the air or was the makeshift arena beginning to spin? Blinking hard and readjusting his grip, he went in for a warp strike, darting away again before another slew of gas arrived.

He couldn't keep this strategy up, there was only so long he could warp before he needed rest. His throat began to burn as he coughed to expel whatever fumes he could from his lungs. It was too little too late; there were lingering traces of it everywhere, no evading it. The Malboro was already hot on his trail again, and Noct’ stomach dropped when he realised what was also rising from the water - its _children_.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” he growled as he ran for quieter ground to weigh up his options. He groaned. His head, once feeling so light, was now heavy and foggy, but from what he could gather, escape would be impossible; the enemies were fast, _disturbingly_ fast, and he needed that Royal Arm. There was no way he was giving Gladio the chance to roast him again.

Only one thing for it. Energy surged through him as he called forth the power of his birthright, the Armiger Arsenal. The familiar glowing blue weapons began to circle him as all the Arms he’d claimed so far came to his aid. Taking in a deep breath and steadying himself, he raised his arm and prepared to strike.

He wasn’t prepared for the Armiger Arsenal disappearing before his eyes.

“ _What--_ ” he gasped out, no time to react as a sharp pain coursed through his left leg. One of the little bastards had latched onto him in his confusion. Landing a fire spell right on it, it screeched and let go, leaving him wincing in pain as he stumbled to get away before more could gather. To say they were babies was a bit of a stretch; they were large enough to land a bite directly up his leg and into his thigh.

The pain in his leg and his woozy head were the least of his worry though - _why had the Armiger failed him_? Panic crept into his mind as he once more remembered the ring and cursed out loud. Slamming his sword down into another Malboro Sprout, he cast fire at his main target as it continued to loom over him, still spewing poison into the air. Choking again and trying hard to stay focused, Noct cried out as he was struck from the side by one of the huge creature’s tentacles, smacking hard into the water. Tiredness washed over him but the aches in his body kept him grounded and alert enough. Staggering back to his feet, he warped away, stumbling at the weight he placed on his leg as he landed.

“Please... _come back!_ ” he whispered harshly to himself, willing the Armiger to return. He hadn’t needed the ring before, surely it made no difference. _Right?_ His lungs were burning and the world was spinning around him, but the Royal Arms did not come to his aid. Why? _Why?!_ “Fine, I can leave this tomb to rot then!” His words were bitter and careless. Right now he just needed to try and get help. Somehow. He cursed himself for not trying to call someone sooner, grabbing his phone and making a hobbled dash to temporary safety.

Trying not to trip on the roots and branches hidden in the waters, he clumsily scrambled on top of some high climbing tree roots and dialled Prompto, willing his friend to pick up. Breathing fast and panicked as the phone began to ring, another bout of the Malboro’s fumes hit him, taking his balance as he crashed down to the ground retching, his phone smashing against yet another Malboro Sprout as it flew out of his hand. The baby indignantly eyed the offending item before biting down on it hard. An unfocused but powerful bout of fire destroyed the sprout, and more regrettably, his phone.

* * *

Prompto jumped a little as he felt the sudden sensation of his phone vibrating. He, Gladio and Ignis were slowly rising to higher ground on the lift, nearly at the top. By the time Prompto pulled his phone out, the vibration had stopped. He knew who had called, though. Noct probably didn’t want to speak to Gladio right now, not that he could blame his friend. The larger man was in too sour a mood to notice Prompto dialling Noct’s number, and the concerned look that followed when the line was dead.

“Hey, um, guys?” he said timidly, hoping to get their attention. Ignis looked in the direction of his voice.

“Is something wrong?” he queried. Prompto shuffled awkwardly as he tried to find the words. The lift doors opening caught his attention; Gladio was the first to move, moving to guide Ignis out alongside him.

“I’m...I’m going to find Noct,” he finally said, flinching a little as Gladio turned around to look at him. After a moment of silence, the older man let out an unenthusiastic laugh.

“I knew you would,” he said blankly. Prompto stood silently, waiting for the backlash to his suggestion. “Just go already.” The young man sighed with relief.

“Take care,” Ignis said, wishing he could be more help than his current condition would allow. “Do you have curatives with you? Just in case?”

“Yeah,” Prompto nodded to himself. “I’ll be as quick as I can.” On those words, the doors closed once more and he descended into the mine once more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompto rushes to find Noctis as the fight against the Malboros continues.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh gosh thank you so much everyone for the fantastic response to chapter 1!! I'm truly honoured! <3
> 
> Things get a little more graphic in this chapter. Not too much so! But please be careful if you get squeamish (I've been reluctant to tag some aspects of the fic because of spoilers, but if it's a problem, I'll happily add any needed)
> 
> Hope you all enjoy!

Noct couldn’t believe how stupid he was, getting himself into a situation like this. He could have just stormed off towards the entrance, wouldn’t  _ that _ have been a nicer option? He’d have definitely had long enough to cool down before Gladio and Prompto caught up with Ignis in tow. Then he could apologise and they could try the mine again later. But no, he went deeper into a dangerous area and was now outflanked by a Malboro and its babies, hoping he had enough fire in his reserves to keep his assault up. At least he could still use his magic.  _ For now anyway _ , he thought cynically. His spells had become more drastically widespread; he could no longer keep them concentrated on a single target. Shaking his head to try and clear the fuzziness from it, he backed up and prepared another round of magic.

His focus on the spell left him open as a Sprout launched at him, bowling him over as it collided with his chest. It landed its needle-like teeth into his right shoulder before being blasted off by flames. Noct gasped as the fire’s intensity brushed against his neck and heat seared through his jacket before fading to nothing; clutching at his new injury, he forced himself onto unsteady feet. He was finally whittling them down, only a couple of the smaller plant creatures now remained. And the big one, as much as he wished he could forget about that abomination.

There wasn’t much left in him. He summoned his great sword again, almost surprised to find he could still summon his weapons after his earlier surprise. He could instantly feel his grip failing on the huge weapon, spasms shooting through his hands and arms from exertion. This needed to end.  _ Fast _ . His heart racing, he let off another fire spell, as strong and as focused as he could muster with his head reeling so much. Every inch of him hurt but he couldn’t stop now. The toxins were so thick in his system he could barely even remember  _ why _ he was here anymore;  _ why _ this thing was even attacking him. He just needed it to be over.

The magic hit and he lunged forward. This  _ had _ to defeat it. Bracing himself when he saw the torrent of toxic breath spew from it, he leapt at the Malboro and launched himself straight through its mouth and out through the back of its head. It screeched in pain, its tentacles flailing everywhere. Noct landed heavy on his knees in the water, willing his body to listen to him. Letting out a breath as he got to his feet, one of the creature’s limbs hit him hard in the back, throwing him forward into the water.

He wasn't sure if it was him or the Malboro screaming; the sheer agony that radiated through him was unbearable. He struggled to keep his head above the water as the shock of pain from his torso shot through every part of his body. Moving a shaky hand to feel his stomach from under the water, his blood ran cold. A piece of wood, hidden by the water, was pierced cleanly through his side. He tried pulling away, fighting to stay conscious as any kind of movement was too much. His foes, at least, were either dead or escaped; the only sounds left to hear were the muffled echoes of his own pained cries as he tried to free himself. His own voice sounded so far away.

“ _ I got to _ … _ got...to... _ ” he tried to choke a thought out as he held his hand forward. A powerful blue glow surrounded him and he landed flat in the water a few meters forward, free of the wood running through him. The world twisted and swirled around him, his lungs burned more than the fire that caught at his shoulder and neck, writhing and clutching at his side as it now bled freely. He just wanted everything to stop so he could  _ sleep _ .

He couldn't, though. Not here. Not in the grim waters of a deserted mine. With whatever he could muster, he summoned a lance into his hand, planting it into down into soft earth below. He hoisted himself to his feet, clinging onto the weapon for dear life, taking uneasy steps between stabbing pains and dizzy spells. He had to get to land, he knew that much. Whether he was even going in a straight line was another matter. His head hurt so much it felt like it was ready to cave in, his chest ached and he couldn't see anything beyond vague shapes before him as his thoughts all muddled together. A glance to the side reminded him why he was there and he paused briefly. The door. The Royal Arm. The Arms that had abandoned him. In his daze, as he carried on across the far-too-large body of shallow water, it felt like both the Kings and the beasts themselves were punishing him for his actions. A dark laugh left his mouth, followed by a fit of coughing that racked his body. He tasted blood.

_ Keep going. Please...keep going… _

It felt like an eternity, but Noct tripped to his knees on a sudden ridge in the ground. An all too fleeting feeling of relief rushed over him as he didn’t collide with water. He’d made it out, somehow. His weapon dissolved as he gasped for any unpolluted air that might remain, holding his arms tight around his torso as if trying to keep himself in one piece. His stomach lurched at the sudden motion and he threw up, wincing as pain shot through every part of him. “D...damnit…” he choked out, planting a hand on the ground as he began to list sideways. If only his damn head would stop pounding, maybe he could think properly. Parts of his argument with Gladio drifted into the back of his mind, barely intelligible.

A grim smile passed his lips. “You were right, big guy...I guess...I’m no king after all...” He blacked out for just a second and found himself lying on his side, one arm still held tight around his stomach. He opened his eyes as much as he could manage. Were those...shoes in front of him? Wearily glancing up, eyes widening, he couldn’t believe the blurry figure he saw stood before him, looking down over him. Was this real? He squinted and tried to focus harder on the figure, trying to distinguish whether he saw sadness or disappointment on the man’s features.

“Damnit, dad….” Noct’s voice was barely a whisper as his consciousness finally left him. “Don’t look at me...like that...”

* * *

“Wow Noct, you really  _ were _ in a bad mood!” Prompto commented as he passed some of the slain beasts. He was pretty on edge about getting no response on his phone, but joking around was a good comforter for him. “Well, I guess I’m following the trail of destruction then!” He paused as he spotted a glint on the ground. “No way…” Approaching it, his eyes widened as he picked up the fallen ring. “Wow, lucky find. Must’ve got knocked out of his pocket,” he said, cautiously examining it before pocketing it himself and carrying on. He’d just return it when he found his friend.

After a while, the air began to smell strange. He covered his nose and mouth with his hand as he pressed on. “Damn Noct, did you destroy a whole sewage plant?” He expected to see the youth sat by the waters, moping to himself until someone came to get him. Oh, how he wished that was what he found.

He saw the Malboro first, twisted grotesquely and nearly ripped in two. That explained the stench. “Noct?” he called out. “Hey Noct, it’s me, I found your ring and--” His body turned to ice. Noctis lay curled up on the bank, a pool of blood still forming around him. “ _ Noct!! _ ” the gunslinger cried as he ran for his friend, skidding to stop right in front of him. “Oh no, ohhh no no no,” he stammered, panic creeping in as he rolled his friend onto his back, instantly spotting the puncture hole through his shirt and stomach. The uneven rise and fall of the prince’s chest managed to calm Prompto somewhat; at least he was still alive. Trying to ignore the twisted feeling in his stomach, he lifted up Noct’s shirt, trying not to retch at the bloodied sight. “I-it’s okay,” he said quietly, pulling out a potion. “We’ll fix this up first. The rest can come later.”

He placed a potion in the prince’s hands, hand placed around his to break it for him. He sighed with relief, watching the wounds on Noctis’ body patch up slowly. It wasn’t by much, and was by no means great, but the bleeding had at least stopped.

A second later he snapped back to attention and yanked his phone out of his pocket before dialling. “Come on, pick up pick up  _ pick up _ !”

* * *

“I should’ve gone down with him,” Gladio groaned as he paced around, waiting for Prompto to drag Noctis back with him. He’d had time to cool off and was massively regretting his behaviour towards the prince.

“To follow them now could lead to you getting lost in the mine,” Ignis spoke calmly as he remained sat on a bench. “Have patience, Prompto will find him.”

Gladio’s phone ringing caused them both to jump. He rushed to pull it out of his jacket pocket and saw the caller name. “Prompto? What’s up?” he asked, trying to mask concern in his voice.

_ “Noct’s in a really bad way, th-there’s so much blood, I think I managed to stop it with a potion but he’s not waking up and--” _

“Woah, slow down, Prompto,” Gladio said suddenly, Ignis leaning in to hear the conversation.  “What happened?”

_ “Noct, he--he got attacked, I think. I just found him unconscious. He’s been impaled by something. I-I used a potion, I think it’s worked for now but-- _ there’s so much blood _!” _ Prompto’s panic was obvious by this point. Gladio’s eyes widened.

“I’ll come find you, just hang in there.” He put his phone away and made to leave. “I’m sure you heard all that,” he said, keeping his voice as level as possible.

“Yes.”

“Iggy, I’m sorry, but it’s quicker if I go it alone,” Gladio said apologetically. Ignis understood completely. Once the older man had left, Ignis sought to find supplies and a place for them to rest. There was little he could do now, but he was still able to do this for them.

* * *

“Okay, Gladio’s going to meet us, Noct. It’s all gonna be fine.” Prompto was speaking more for the comfort of himself than he was to Noctis, who showed no signs of stirring. “Maybe we should meet him partway, I-I’m sure if I carry you it’ll save some time, but…” He looked over the injuries Noctis had sustained. Even after using a potion for the worst of the injuries, he still looked so fragile. Would carrying him really be okay? But it wasn’t like Gladio wasn’t going to carry the boy when he arrived, so it was worth a shot.

Lifting Noct’s arm around his shoulders and placing his own arm around the other’s waist, Prompto managed to pull him into a standing position and began to steadily head back to the lift. It wasn’t easy; Noct was a dead weight, making the blonde stumble while navigating the uneven terrain.

They hadn’t been travelling long when Prompto heard heavy footsteps. He looked up to see Gladio running his way. The man looked surprised to see Prompto carrying Noct, but was thankful he could get to them sooner this way. “Pass him to me,” the man said hurriedly, taking Noct and carrying him back as fast as he could, Prompto in tow. Neither of them had time or energy to say anything. There would be time to talk later, they hoped.

* * *

“It shouldn’t be too long before he wakes up...right?” Prompto asked quietly as he watched over Noctis’ bandaged form. It was a few hours later, and they were lodging in one of the stationary train cars. It barely had room for them all, but it was the best they had at this point. “Potions usually work pretty fast, right?”

“Usually, yes,” Ignis replied. “But from the sounds of it, the wounds were quite severe. I doubt recovery would be instantaneous. It would, however, be much more effective if he were able to ingest them...” A brief pause as he thought things over. “Feel free to use another potion, if you wish.” He hoped the small act would ease Prompto’s mind somewhat.

“Right,” the gunner responded, pulling another potion out and breaking it in Noct’s hand once more. As its effects rippled around his body, Prompto’s eyes remained locked on the unconscious prince. Gladio remained silent. He’d gone too far; both of them had. For such petty sniping to turn so savage, only for something like this to happen. They were both far too stubborn and it almost led to his charge’s death. He paced whatever small area he could before sighing.

“I’m going for a walk,” he decided, leaving the cabin. Ignis looked to the sound of the door closing, while Prompto barely glanced in its direction. He took the prince’s hand in between his own. In comparison to his own skin, he could see how pale Noctis was, grip tightening as he felt his best friend’s hand trembling lightly.

“Come on, Noct. This isn’t funny,” His voice cracked as he tried hard to sound cheerful. “Just wake up so we can get some potions in you, then you’ll be good as new!”

Ignis continued to listen in silence as the gunner pleaded with his unresponsive friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear the comfort part is coming in a chapter or two. Honest. All aboard the pain train, everyone.
> 
> I keep changing how potions work in my head. As I figure it, curatives work on lighter injuries just fine if you crush the bottle in your hand, but for more intense injuries, they keep drinking to have any real effect.
> 
> Fantasy items, am I right?
> 
> Thanks once again for reading!
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis finds new resolve thanks to an old friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> High fives for every sub, kudos, comment and bookmark, you guys are amazing! <3

Noctis wearily opened his eyes, getting to his feet as he tried to grasp his whereabouts. Taking in the confined space and the regal architecture, he found himself more confused. “This is...one of the Royal Tombs?” he thought aloud. Was he here before he woke up? He couldn't remember. Walking up to the center of the room, he saw no Royal Arm waiting for him, nor any statue to even hold the weapon.

He looked up, being met with only a sealed door. He cautiously stepped towards it, placing his fingers on the cold stone.

_ “Only the king may leave."  _ The words echoed across the room, powerful and sounding like many voices melded together. It made Noct’s head hurt. He looked for the source but found nothing.

“I  _ am _ the king,” he replied bluntly.

_ “And yet you discarded the ring of your ancestors - of your royal blood - alongside your duty, with nary a forethought.” _

“What? Why would I ever--?” His hands fumbled down to his pocket as he felt for the ring, gasping as he found nothing. It came back to him slowly - the argument, storming off, pulling the ring out of his pocket, then leaving it behind. He stood still, swallowing hard before nodding to himself.

“Let me leave and I’ll find it,” he spoke, trying to mask the regret in his voice.

_ “Only the king may leave this tomb,” _ the statue repeated.  _ “You are no king.” _ The words cut through Noctis, fists clenching as his anger rose.

“Then I’ll break out of here myself.” He held his hand out to summon a weapon. Nothing. Glancing down at his empty hand, he yelled as he punched the door repeatedly, wincing at the pain that shot through him. A few failed attempts later, he staggered back, clutching his hands as he slumped against the pedestal in the middle. “Damnit...why am I here?” he wondered quietly. Would anyone realise he was missing? He’d already separated from the others, maybe he’d found the tomb and somehow got trapped inside.

He waited in silence for someone to find him.

Noctis didn’t realise he’d fallen asleep until he found himself waking up on the cold floor. Sitting himself upright, he looked once again to the door that remained shut before him. His hands still stung from trying to punch himself free, twitching as jolts of pain ran through them.

“I guess no one’s coming,” he said with a sigh, standing up and pacing around. What was he supposed to do? The vibration of his phone stopped him in his tracks. A vague feeling of unease crept through him; he didn’t know why, but he was sure his phone being with him wasn’t quite right. Pulling it out of his pocket, his eyes widened as he read the message waiting for him.

_ ‘It’s been a long time, Noct. Do you need help?’ _

Noctis let out a half-hearted laugh as he saw the familiar creature before him. He remembered his fox-like friend, Carbuncle, from years ago. “Yeah, just a bit,” he said, before doing a double-take. “Wait. If you’re here...am I in a dream? Is that why no one’s found me?”

_ ‘Bingo! Your friends have already found you, Noct. But you can’t wake up yet.’ _

“Why?” he asked, staring intently from his phone screen, to Carbuncle, then at the door. “They say only the king can pass, but  _ I’m _ the king.”

_ ‘They don’t seem to think so. Maybe you can get them to change their minds?’ _

“ _ Change _ the Kings of Lucis’ minds?” His sat lightly against the pedestal as he thought. “Hey, kings,” he called out. “I know I messed up, and I’m really sorry for that. What do I need to do to get out of here?” Silence greeted him.

_ ‘Maybe you need to offer them something?’ _

“What can I offer them?” he wondered out loud. “They won’t even let me find the ring and make things right.”

_ ‘Is merely finding the ring enough?’ _

“What else is there?”

_ ‘Resolve, maybe? Courage? Can you face what’s ahead of you and prove yourself against their judgement no matter what?’ _

Noct looked to the creature, then closed his eyes, sighing as he tried to make sense of what was happening.

_ ‘Are you scared?’ _

He let out a confused laugh. “Scared of what?”

_ ‘I’m with you in your dreams, Noct. I know about what you saw that night in Lesallum.’ _

The prince remembered that dream all too clearly. Bit by bit, he lost his powers. Warping, magic, his weapons, all left him. It seemed like the Kings and the Crystal had given up on him; deemed him unworthy. It wasn’t too far from what was happening now. “It feels like I’m going to lose everything regardless. Whether I prove myself or not.”

_ ‘You can change this, Noct. See it as a warning - a future not yet happened. In your dream you were alone, but that’s not true. You have your friends.’ _

Carbuncle’s face was unchanging, but the hopeful and patient look in its eyes gave Noctis a sense of peace. He bit his lip, trying to find his words. His friend was right. This was a future he could change. This wasn’t the end.

“Okay then,” he began. “I’ll find the ring when I wake up; and I’ll get that Royal Arm too, as many as I can find, then I’ll get the crystal.” He stood up and looked to the door. “Are you listening, Kings of Lucis? By throwing away the ring, I may have rejected all the sacrifices made for me to carry on, but not anymore. I won’t stop, I’ll use what they’ve given to push me forward. Any less would be an embarrassment to their memory and their suffering.” Countless images flashed through his mind. Luna, Ignis, his father, so many more. He swallowed down a lump forming in his throat as he stood strong. “I won't stop. I will prove myself to you all and the Crystal. You have my word.”

A long silence. “The fire has reignited,” the voices finally spoke. “But you have much yet to prove. Move ever onward, and do not let us down.” The door creaked opened into a bright light. Noctis took one last look at Carbuncle and smiled. A nod of the head was his reply before he stepped through to the waking world.

* * *

A pained mumble escaped his lips as Noct struggled to force his eyes open. He couldn’t fathom why he hurt so much; why his chest burned with each breath and his head felt so heavy. Where was he?

“You’ve finally come around, thank goodness.” A calm yet relieved voice spoke as the prince turned his head to face its direction.

“Ig...nis..?” His voice was weak; talking was harder than he thought. “What happened..?”

“You don’t remember?” A quiet ‘no’ was his only response. “I see...How are you feeling?”

“Like I got hit by a truck...” he groaned, holding his left hand to his head. His right arm seemed too stiff for him at the moment, but his head was too muddled and foggy to figure out why.

“Here, take this,” Ignis spoke. An item was held out towards him - a potion. “I would prefer if you drank it, but please be careful when moving.” After a brief pause, he shakily took it from the man and tried to sit himself up, hissing at the pain that erupted from his side and shoulder. He gritted his teeth, room spinning around him, managing to down the potion before crashing back onto his pillow, feeling the effects instantly numb the pain in his body.

“What the hell…” he mumbled, drawing in breaths as much as he dare. A shaky breath too deep led to a coughing fit, agitating the pain further.

“Apologies,” Ignis continued, a firm frown on his face. “I wish I could assist you more. From what I’ve been informed by Prompto, movement may prove quite difficult for you until you’re better recovered.”

“Prompto?” Noct repeated. “Where is he? And Gladio?”

“Out to get food, currently.” Ignis adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose. It was a pointless endeavour now, but still comforting to him. “I should expect they will return soon.”

“Right…” The words registered slowly in his brain as he tried to figure out what was going on. “How long was I out?”

“I think about a day or, bordering on two days. Apologies for the lack of specifics.”

“It’s okay. Thanks.” A pang of guilt hit him, but he was too tired to linger on it. Noct slowly shut his eyes once more. He wasn’t sure if he fell asleep, or if the remaining two members had amazing timing, because the door slid open barely any time after. Prompto’s face lit up at the sight of Noct blearily looking in his direction.

“Noct, you’re finally awake!” he practically squealed, cringing a little with worry at the sight of his friend flinching from the volume. “Oops, sorry.”

“S’fine,” he mumbled sleepily.

“Good to see you’re up,” Gladio said, any emotions well hidden behind his neutral expression. Noct gave a weak smile, then blankly stared at the dishes they were holding.

“Don’t worry, sleepyhead, we got a meal for you, too! Just in case!” It was a bit of a struggle helping Noct into a sitting position. Prompto was doing his absolute best not to aggravate any injuries but the winces and sharp gasps from the prince were unavoidable as he was propped up by a small mound of pillows. Finally in position, he pulled out a lap tray that had been kindly donated by the restaurant owner, along with a bowl of stew. Making a move to pick up his spoon, it properly registered that he was having trouble moving his right shoulder. “Something wrong, buddy?”

“Yeah...Did my shoulder get messed up? Ignis said I got some injuries but I can’t remember.” Prompto cast a look around the room.

“You, er…” he tried to find the words to explain it, but the memory of seeing Noctis curled up on the floor in a pool of his own blood caused a lump in his throat he couldn’t get past.

“You were attacked by a Malboro,” Ignis explained, then looked towards youngest man’s voice. “Isn’t that right, Prompto?”

“Y-yeah, that’s right. It was already dead by the time I got there.” He spoke cautiously, as if scared that remembering might have a terrible effect on the injured prince. “You got bitten a couple of times...but the worst was your side. I don’t know what you did, but something went right through you. I...I didn’t think we’d get you back here in time.”

He ran his hand over his shoulder silently. He'd felt the bandages around his body, but hadn't fully realised they were there. “Why did I forget all that..?”

“A Malboro’s breath is incredibly toxic,” Ignis pitched in again. “Memory loss and grogginess is, quite frankly, getting away lightly.” The room fell silent as Noctis began to eat as best he could with his shaky left hand. Slowly but surely, memories of the fight came back to him, unpleasantly filling his head until--

“The Royal Tomb,” he gasped suddenly. Everyone turned to face him. “I-I found it, near the Malboro. We have to go find it.”

“Not yet we’re not,” Gladio piped up. “You’re useless as you are now.” Noctis scowled. He didn’t have time to wait around. Not after the kings were judging him to prove himself worthy, and not with the Ring of the Lucii lost in the mines. He daren’t breathe a word of it all, especially to Ignis and Gladio. He couldn’t imagine how they’d react if they knew the ring were missing. An irritable grunt was his only response, leaning back into his raised pillows and ignoring the rest of his food as his eyes grew heavy and sleep took him once more.

* * *

It was dark when he opened his eyes. Looking over, he saw Prompto, still keeping a keen watch over his friend. “How are you holding up?” he asked quietly.

“Been better,” Noct sighed. He glanced around the rest of the small compartment. “Where are the others?”

“They’re staying in the next room. We had to sell a couple things to pay for it, but everyone was so tense, we figured it would be better this way.” Noct nodded slowly. After their argument, he wasn't exactly keen on being around Gladio for too long right now. It slowly dawned on him that Prompto was the only one who would be watching him all night.

“So...when are you going to sleep?” he asked cautiously. His friend grinned in response.

“Power naps, bro. I can sleep in the morning.” Noct let out a small laugh. It still hurt his lungs to breathe, but he could feel it getting easier. “Oh yeah, here’s another potion. Iggy’s orders.” Thankfully taking it from the gunslinger, he downed it and sighed contently at its effects. A silence fell on the room, broken only by Prompto’s sudden gasp of realisation. “Oh! That reminds me!” Noctis’ attention was directly on him as he pulled something out of his pocket. “I found this while I was looking for you.” Opening his fist, the prince’s eyes widened at the sight - the Ring of the Lucii.

“Y-you found it?” he gasped out. Relief washed over him, followed by horror. What if Prompto realised it had been deliberately left behind?

“Yeah, I figured it must’ve fallen out of your pocket while fighting,” he reasoned. “I was gonna give it back sooner, but I knew Iggy and Gladio would flip if they knew you’d lost it.” He laughed to himself at the thought. Noct let out the breath he’d been holding; at least his friend thought it was an accident. “I’m gonna put it in your jacket pocket again, that okay?”

“Yeah, thanks,” he said, watching intently as he still worked through his hazy mind to think of a plan. Another silence followed while he weighed his options. “Prompto.”

“What’s up, Noct?” the blond responded curiously.

“I...want to go back to the mines tomorrow.” He couldn’t even look at his friend as he said it, knowing the reaction.

“Noct, that’s crazy! You’re nowhere near fixed up, there’ll be more monsters to fight down there, it’s  _ really _ bad terrain at the best of times! Then there’s Iggy to worry about and…” He was counting off the reasons on his fingers as he went. Noct sighed.

“If we wait, the Malboros will probably come back. I think its babies fled, I doubt they'll stay away for long,” he reasoned, looking to Prompto again. “I have to get to that Royal Tomb, we can’t afford to wait around.” Prompto looked uncomfortable at the thought, staying silent. Noct needed his friend to understand, even if he couldn't explain his reasons. “I can do this, I’ll be fine.” He wasn’t sure if he said that more for his friend or for himself. No one needed to know how badly he’d screwed up. If he could get that Royal Arm and keep pushing forward, maybe his ancestors would forgive him with no one being any the wiser.

After a long pause, Prompto broke the silence. “Gladio and Ignis aren’t gonna like this…” Noct’s hands balled into fists.

“They don’t have to,” he finally said, before motioning for another curative, already aching again after the last one wore off annoyingly quick.

This was going to be a rough ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's official - Noct is the master of bad ideas. I know you've got a lot to prove kiddo but you need to chill.
> 
> Those potions just don't have a kick to them right now. Hmmm....


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As the group heads down the mine again, Noctis' reckless behaviour has his friends demanding answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again everyone for the kudos and comments!! <3
> 
> This'll probably be the last chapter I post daily, I've got 2 chapters in reserve but I wanna space them out a bit so I don't accidentally disappear for 3 weeks. It happens sometimes. Hopefully not this time~
> 
> Anyways here's some of that comfort you all love. And some more hurt (because who doesn't love that am I right?)

“I already said we weren’t going back down there yet!” Gladio snarled as he watched Noct slip his jacket on, preparing to go. He’d hoped his head would have cleared much more by morning, but was out of luck; a lot his concentration was taken up trying not to sway in front of the larger man as he put his glove on.

“ _ You _ don’t have to,” the prince sniped back. Ignis stepped forward.

“Noct, it’s foolish to go back down there in your current state,” he reasoned. “Please, give it more time, then we can--”

“I already said I’m going.” A sharp pain shot through him as he pushed past the two, barely managing to hide his pained scowl. “I don't care what you do, but you’re not stopping me.” Prompto followed, placed a hand on Noctis’ uninjured shoulder and looked to Gladio.

“Let's...just be careful down there. Quick in, quick out. We already know where we’re headed, right?” As he spoke, Gladio looked incredulous.

“You can’t seriously be going along with this, Prompto?” he demanded. Prompto cowered a little bit before taking a deep breath.

“After all that’s happened, time is really running out. We’re all here to look after him, right? Let’s do that so he can get to the tomb.” His tone was as assertive as he could muster, glancing back to Noctis with an expression of ‘you owe me big time’. That facade soon faded as said prince had already pulled away and started heading towards the carriage exit, with Prompto soon in tow. “W-wait already, Noct!”

Gladio growled as Ignis sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Shall we then?” the advisor said dryly, raising his cane and following the younger man’s pleading for the prince to slow down.

* * *

“So, it’s a right from here, yeah?” Prompto doubled checked. Noctis wearily nodded his head. He’d been asked that by the other a few times already, and he’d figured it was just to keep conversation going, but he was too groggy and achy to really respond. Why was it taking so damn long for the Malboro toxins to clear out of his system? Carrying on silently, he was glad he could mask the stiffness in his leg from the bite; it had healed up better than his other injuries, but the dull ache that radiated as he walked was tiring. Prompto took a few quick steps to walk backwards in front of the prince, eyeing him carefully. “Hey, Noct? You need a break or something? You're looking rough.” A shake of the head was his reply.

“I’m fine, really. We’re nearly there,” Noctis said quietly. He was lying on both parts; they still had a ways to go, but anything to keep him moving and give his mind something to focus on.

Prompto hated the constant dismissive responses he was getting, it made his stomach knot with worry. What chance did the others have of getting him to rest if he was failing? The other two had barely said a word since they set off down the mine once more. The awkward silence was really grating on him as he tried to think of ways to convince his friend to rest a bit. A harsh shushing from Ignis brought him out of his thoughts.

“Something’s close,” he whispered sharply. It didn’t take long for the others to hear the splashing of water and the snapping of jaws as a number of Gurangatch made their way ever closer to the newcomers in their home turf. Gladio and Prompto were the first to summon their weapons.

“Let’s clear ‘em out,” the older man said, his voice even and serious. He leapt forward and began taking them on. Prompto cast a worried look to Noctis as the prince took an unsteady breath and summoned his Engine Blade, before shooting off a few rounds and diving into the fray.

“Ignis, stay back,” Noct ordered as he paced forward towards the fight. He ignored his advisor’s objections and lunged his sword at one of the reptiles, slicing it nearly in two.

Everything span around him as he stumbled from the motion, shifting his weight to his good leg for balance. His injuries twinged as he blinked hard, trying to regain his focus. He wasn’t quick enough. One of the Gurangatch had made a dive for him, bowling him over into the shallow water, a wave of pain shooting through him as he collided with the earth. He managed to kick the beast off after fumbling its jaws away from him, ramming his sword through its skull. He coughed hard as he hauled himself up.

“Noct!” He heard a voice call him in panic. Was it Prompto? He was having a hard time thinking through the sound of his heart pounding in his head. Gunshots were heard and another Gurangatch fell dead right beside him. Another one was already headed his way as he cursed under his breath, tightening the shaky grip on his weapon. A swing as hard as he dare cut through the beast cleanly, his shoulder straining from the motion. Squinting as he looked to see Gladio finishing off the final target, he let out a sigh of relief. His body and head felt like lead, but he’d got through the fight. Somehow.

Words faded to nothing as he stumbled, blade dissolving, vision failing. He could feel himself falling backwards. It wasn’t until moments later he’d realised he hadn’t hit the water, but instead a strong pair of arms were supporting him as he looked around in a daze.

“Noct, can you hear me?” It was Prompto again. His voice was fading in and out; far too loud or far too quiet. Even with the inconsistent volume making his head hurt even more, he managed a nod. A relieved smile met the blonde’s face as he took a hold of Noct’s arm, helping Gladio support the prince and standing him upright.

“You looked like you were ready to keel over before the fight even started,” Gladio said, his tone level. Noct found his balance again and pulled away from the two holding him up.

“Well, I’m fine now, so let’s go,” he said matter-of-factly, barely managing to hide the bursts of pain shooting through his body by this point.

“We’re not going any further.” Noctis winced as the taller man’s arm grabbed his wrist. “I don’t know what this is about, but it’s gone on long enough. We’re heading back and you’re getting some rest. The Royal Tomb can wait.” Gladio’s voice was louder now, more demanding. The prince turned to stare him back in the eyes, anger bubbling inside him as he pulled his arm free and shook his head, then walking away. Gladio’s eyes narrowed, thinking back to the arguments and snide remarks they’d shared. “So that’s what this is, then. You’re trying to get back at me for pushing you to just do your duty, huh? You think this is any better than your lax attitude of ‘just getting it over with’?” Noctis stopped, his head pounding as he kept his back to the others.

“I'm not...” he said quietly, taking in a sharp breath. This had gone far beyond his frustration at Gladio, but the less they knew about his mistake, the better. “You wanted me to push forward and and am. I'm doing what you wanted, and now you're telling me to pull back.” He twisted around, glaring. “What do you  _ want _ from me?!” The sharp motion was the last straw for his side, pain seared through him as he doubled over, clutching at his stomach, letting out a choked cry and gasping for air. In no time at all Gladio was there to hold him steady, leading him to a rock to sit down.

Prompto led Ignis over, but didn’t take his eyes off Noctis as he watched his friend curl up on himself, pain etched on his face as he tried to steady his breathing. Noct could hear talking but he couldn’t make anything out. Daring to open his eyes, he saw a potion held out before him. Taking it with a shaky hand, he’d never felt relief like it before as it coursed through him. “Th...thanks,” he managed, somewhat looking at the man sat beside him. Gladio grunted in response.

“You’re still healing, y’know. You can’t keep pulling crap like this,” he said bluntly. Noct let out a half-hearted laugh. “So, was this really all aimed at me? Or are you gonna actually tell us what’s got you so worked up?” A shake of the head was his reply.

“You wouldn’t understand,” he sighed, looking to the ground, hands rested on his knees. Prompto cast a worried glance to Gladio.

“Maybe if you told us, we would,” he said hopefully. Noctis’ hands tensed into fists.

“Can we just get going again? I feel fine.” He made to stand up, but was kept down by Gladio placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

“Not until we get something out of you,” he said adamantly. “You keep this up, you’re gonna get yourself killed.” Noct side glanced him.

“I don’t have time to care about that!” His voice was raised, frustrations growing with each second. “I’ve got no time to wait around, so can we just drop it--”

“Noctis.”

He froze, not unlike a child being scolded by their mother, as Ignis’ stern yet concerned voice rose above all else. There was a brief pause as all attention fell on the advisor.

“I’ve held my tongue long enough, against my better judgement,” he finally said, regret evident in his voice. “And all it has led to is further widening the rifts between us, and even the near loss of your own life.”

“Ignis, I…”

“You must understand, Noct,” the advisor spoke carefully. “As admirable as your ambitions to move quickly and see things put to right may be, your life is not merely your own to throw away on such a foolhardy venture.” Noctis let out breath, thinking of those who lost their lives and fought for him to see things through to the end. If he died here from being so reckless, what good was it all for?

_ Shit _ . Ignis was right. As always.

“...Sorry,” he mumbled. A small smile caught on Ignis’ lips.

“Apology accepted,” he said politely. “ _ If _ you tell us what has caused all this.” The man knew Noct’s expression would be a sour one. A distant growling was heard, alerting the group to more beasts nearby. “I believe our surroundings here may become a tad too dangerous for discussion. Might I suggest we seek out somewhere safer?” Gladio finally released his hand off Noct’s shoulder as he stood up.

“I spotted a haven a short distance from here. Shouldn’t take too long.” He turned to face the prince. “Need any help?” he asked as Noct was already unsteadily hauling himself to his feet, gripping at his dully aching side as he focused on keeping his balance. He grit his teeth, frustrated with the potions’ lack of effectiveness lately; he swore it used to patch him up better before this whole mess happened in the mine. He felt a firm hand grip around his upper arm and looked up to see Gladio still stood next to him. The two led on, Gladio directing them to the haven, halfway between guiding and shoving Noctis along. The prince realised that his shield was not going to give him a chance to get away, not that he could get far as he was now.

They made it to the camp with relative ease, foregoing chairs and opting to sit on the ground. Any energy left in Noct drained away the second he settled down on the earth, fighting to even sit upright as he swayed, trying to keep himself awake. He heard shuffling towards him as he tried to stay focused watching Gladio assist Ignis.

“If you need a shoulder to lean on, you just gotta say,” Prompto said lightly. Noct let out a low noise in response and took up the offer. The gunner placed an arm around his shoulder as the prince let out a shaky breath. “Wouldn’t have backed you up if I knew you were  _ this _ bad, dude.”

“I was fine before...honest,” he mumbled, closing his eyes for a moment. It was more of a half truth. While he hadn’t felt ‘fine’ by any means before that battle, he was still well enough to make the trip down into the mine. His mind began to cloud over, but he didn’t fight it as he steadily drifted off.

By the time he opened his eyes again, it was considerably darker. Damnit, he thought he’d only shut his eyes for a few seconds, he didn’t have time for this. Pushing himself away from his makeshift pillow, much to Prompto’s concern at moving too quickly, he looked around dully at the others, who seemed content enough passing the time with idle talk and some cup noodles.

“You’re finally back, huh?” Gladio spoke up. A slurred apology was uttered in return, but the older man shrugged it off.

“So then, Noct. Shall we?” Ignis said, curiosity etched in his voice as he leant forward a little. His frown set deeper at the silent response. “I understand the past few weeks have been a trial - one I believe you are handling to the best of your ability, but this sudden recklessness concerns me. It concerns us all.” Still no response, but he was sure the prince was listening to his every word. “As...ineffectual as my current state may make me, as your advisor, I wish to remain by your side, until whatever end this path may lead us to.” Gladio huffed and Ignis scowled.

“You don’t really think that’s possible, do you?” he asked incredulously.

“Not as we are now, no.” Ignis laced his fingers together. “There has been far too much blame for things that are beyond our control, and I’ll not be a catalyst for your arguments any longer. If I cannot keep up, I shall bow out.” An awkward silence filled the air. “Our team is already weakened, we mustn’t splinter it further.” He took their continued silence as a sign of apology as he leant back, still waiting on a response from the prince. “So, Noct. Is that acceptable, then?”

“Is...what acceptable?” he asked, somewhat confused.

“That I stay with you until the end. As far as I’m able to, at the very least.”

“O-of course.” There was surprise in the young man’s voice. “I wouldn’t trade you for anyone, Ignis.” The man smiled.

“With all we’ve been through, I would certainly hope not. Noct, I am your advisor, your confidante. Were you not told to trust in us?” The words felt like a sharp stab in Noctis’ chest, guilt rising within him. He was dragging them along, putting them in danger due to his carelessness, and they didn’t even understand why he was so insistent on forsaking much needed rest in order to reach his goal. He bowed his head, eyes directed away from his friends.

“...Okay. It’s…” he started, trying to find his words. It was an tense minute or so before he continued. “I’ve lost control of the Armiger.”

The words caught his companions’ attention instantly.

“The Armiger is gone?” Ignis spluttered. “But how can that be?”

“The Kings of Lucis. They doubt my worth as king.” He paused and let out a hollow laugh. “They wouldn’t let me wake up until I vowed to never stop; to keep forcing myself forward, no matter what.” Those final three words had a grim emphasis to them as he looked to the ground. The silence weighed on him as he was both desperate for and dreading any response from his allies. His breath caught in his throat as Prompto’s gently rest a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “I...My magic, it feels weaker. Potions just don’t have the same power to them now.” He stretched a little, wincing at the sting in his side. “I really wish they did though.” Another long moment of no response. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you all. I let everyone down, I just couldn’t admit it.”

This was it. He held his breath as he waited for Gladio’s anger, Ignis’ disappointment, Prompto’s grim optimism. Nothing came. He steeled himself and looked up into their faces once more, seeing determination and understanding staring back at him.

“So where do we go from here?” Prompto asked, turning his attention from Noct to Ignis.

“I suggest,” Ignis began. “That we assist in proving to the Kings that Noct is more than worthy of their power. With all that has happened these past months, to think they would doubt him in the first place over a few petty arguments seems exceptionally harsh.” The prince struggled to contain the nervous laugh that rose in his throat.  _ They don’t need to know, I can fix this, _ he repeated in his head like a mantra, glancing down at the pocket that kept the ring he'd so readily abandoned.

The gunner’s hand jumped away from Noct’s shoulder as the prince steadily got to his feet.

“So.” His voice was steady, betraying the uneasiness he felt. “Am I good to finish what I started here?”

“Fine,” Gladio grunted. “But then, you gotta get yourself fixed up properly.”

“If that’ll get you off my back,” he shot back with a smirk. A wave of relief washed over him at the smile he got in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See Noct? That wasn't so bad. You've got a looooong way to go yet though, kiddo.
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The group head down to the Royal Tomb, and Noctis and Gladio have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100 kudos, thank you all so much!! Every single view, comment, bookmark, sub, kudos, everything makes me so happy to be writing this for all of you. I really hope you're all enjoying it so far! <3

Gladio led the group, with Noctis in tow and Prompto assisting Ignis. The weakened team travelled deeper and deeper into the mine’s depths. Noct had chugged back another potion, hoping it would take him the rest of the way. Wishful thinking on his part; the dull ache with each twist of his body reminded him of that.

“So I take it this is the place?” Noct stopped at his shield’s voice. Gazing over the area, his breath hitched as his focus landed on the monstrous beast that lay dead in the water. He shook his head to compose himself.

“Yeah, this is it. The tomb’s over by those eggs.” He pointed lazily in its direction, his eyes darting around the waters. The fact that some of the Sprouts were unaccounted for unnerved him, even moreso that he could still see the corpses of the ones he’d already slain. At least, he really hoped they were dead.

“Noct? You okay?” Prompto asked, leaning around to get a good look at his face.

“Y-yeah,” he said quietly, making his move into the waters. “Let’s go. Quick.” The tension in Noct’s voice was unmistakable. Gladio hung back with Ignis while Prompto stood closely by his friend, watching with concern at how jumpy he was. Noctis could almost swear he saw the dead Sprouts still twitching, but no one else said a word. Maybe the toxins still hadn’t worn off yet.

They stood before the eggs, Noct preparing a fire spell as fast as he could muster. A sudden blast of heat burnt them away, leaving the prince stumbling from the sudden exertion. Prompto was there with a steadying hand, moving away as his friend made his way to the door. Placing the key in the lock, he froze, feeling his hand tremble, fingers lingering as he hesitated to turn it.

“What if I can’t claim it?” he spoke quietly. “What if it’s already too late? If I took too long--”

“Noct.” He halted at that same firm tone as before, glancing back in Ignis’ direction. “You must show resolve before your ancestors. Have faith in yourself, just as we all have in you.” Noctis couldn’t help a smile creeping onto his face. Even in Ignis’ current state, he was still the rock that kept the younger man grounded and calm. His dedication and strength was truly commendable. The prince swallowed hard and turned back to the door, finally opening it. Head held high and shoulders square, he approached the pedestal where the old King’s statue rest. Hand held before him, the katana reacted with a brilliant blue light as it floated higher, before plunging itself into Noct’s chest.

There he saw them - all the Royal Arm’s he’d claimed so far. His heart raced with relief, but it was short lived. They vanished almost as soon as they appeared, not even lingering long enough to spin around him in triumph. He sighed and held a hand to his head. It was a start, but there was still a long way to go.

“Phew, finally done here,” Prompto sighed from the entrance, eager to get out of the mine. Noct followed him out of the tomb and saw Gladio crouched, poking around at one of the Malboro Sprouts.

“What are you doing?” Gladio turned at the question, holding something in his hand as he stood.

“I saw something strange in its mouth,” he said. In his hand was a badly broken and singed phone. “So I’m guessing this is yours?”

“Yep, it’s mine,” Noct sighed, rubbing the back of his head as he went to see it better. “Some good it is now, though.”

“You can borrow mine, dude,” Prompto spoke up cheerily, already fishing his phone out of his pocket and handing it over. “Iggy and Gladio would go  _ crazy _ if you disappeared again and they couldn’t contact you.” Noct couldn’t help but chuckle at his shield and advisor’s indignant expressions. He knew his friend was right though. Prompto flashed him a smirk. “There’s no blackmail material on there, before you ask.” He pointed his thumb towards himself. “Pure as the driven snow, me.” The prince laughed harder, not even caring about the lingering twinges in his side.

“Sure, whatever you say.” He patted his friend on the shoulder, pocketing the phone as the four of them made their way back to the train station.

* * *

The tense atmosphere that had been practically suffocating the group over the past few weeks seemed to have lightened considerably, much to Noct’s relief. They’d eaten dinner together at the dining car, chatting about anything and everything. Things could almost feel normal again, if he closed his eyes. The evening passed by -  _ a little sooner than expected, perhaps location was the cause? _ \- without much to do besides play games, before the four of them turned in for the night.

Noctis was sluggishly preparing for bed, eyes occasionally darting towards Gladio, who was sat on the other bed, reading a book. He didn’t mind the change in roommate now things had calmed down; it’d be a much quieter evening, thankfully. He took his shirt off, hand hovering over the bandages around his middle, before he decided to finally remove them. He scrunched the dressings up and gently tossed them to the bed, fingers tracing over the scars that remained, both front and back. A frown set deep on his lips as his mind went back to the fight.

“It’s not that bad.” He jumped at Gladio’s voice, cursing himself inwardly for so quickly forgetting the older man was even there.

“If you mean compared to all your scars, then yeah, I agree,” Noct answered back, smirking. Gladio stood up and gave the prince a light punch in the arm, before placing a hand on his shoulder firmly.

“It’s a sign you’re still alive and kicking, Noct. Every scar you bear is a warning to your enemies that they can’t and won’t ever defeat you.”

“Yeah…” His voice was quiet. “Thanks, Gladio.” His shield smiled and sat back down on the bed, grabbing his book. Noct crawled straight into bed, letting out a relaxed sigh as the tension left his muscles. The room descended to silence. Gladio was sure Noctis had already fallen asleep, until he looked up from his book and saw the younger man’s eyes open but heavy lidded, gazing at nothing in particular. He was obviously thinking about something.

“Hey, Noct?” A lazy glance his way told him to continue. “I’m sorry. For everything. And I'm sorry I doubted you.”

“Don’t be,” Noct replied, words slurring together from fatigue. “You were right. The Kings thought so too.”

“Well, if they could see how hard you were pushing forward to make things right again, they’d realise they were wrong.”

Noct let out a half-hearted chuckle. “If only they were as easy to convince as you.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry too, Gladio. I let things get out of hand. Said some really stupid things.”

“You and me both. Sorry it took you nearly dying to realise I’ve been a pretty lousy shield.”

“Quit apologising, it doesn’t suit you.” Gladio smirked at the hint of laughter in his tone, leaning over and ruffling Noct’s hair. He laughed as the prince scrunched his face up in protest, batting the larger man’s hand away. “Just know I mean it though.” He smiled at the slow nod and a mumbled ‘ditto’. “I’m gonna go check on the others, you gonna be alright?”

“Yeah…” It came out as more of a sigh, he didn’t even hear Gladio close the door as he drifted off to sleep. Despite his exhaustion, sleep didn’t stay with him as disjointed images filled his mind; losing his magic, bit by bit, fending for himself with no weapons and no one beside him, falling endlessly into a suffocating abyss as the light of the crystal left him, just as the Kings had. Sometimes his dreams would simply dissolve into the heart wrenching look he saw his father wear in the mine. He knew that was moment was impossible, but it had felt so genuine he thought the king's sadness for his son’s behaviour was transcending the realm of the dead. He dreaded that look more than he dreaded losing his royal powers.

Each time he jolted awake, it took himself a fair bit of convincing that he was, in fact, safe in bed and not still trapped in that Royal Tomb. He swore he could still feel the cold floor pressed against him and the chill in the air, even for just a few seconds. He sighed as those sensations left him, his mind easing at the sound of Gladio’s steady breathing in the bed next to his.

* * *

“So, today’s the day then, huh?” Prompto placed his food tray on the dining cart table and sat next to Noctis, whose food remained half eaten and mostly ignored as he gazed out of a window. Prompto poked at it, making a face. “I think it’s gone cold.” A quick poke in the arm with the gunner’s fork bought Noct back to focus as he looked at his friend.

“Oh, sorry. Been thinking,” he replied quietly. Prompto leaned in closer.

“About the Kings?” he whispered, the other nodding glumly in response. “We’ll get through this, Noct. I mean it. They’ll be sorry they ever doubted you.” After getting no reaction, he dug into his meal as Noct went back to his position staring out of the window. It had only been a couple days or so since he reclaimed the Royal Arm, but he was more than ready to leave this place behind. Gladio had finally deemed him fighting fit after a quick spar earlier that morning. All that was left now was to wait for the train.

“So,” Prompto said, mouth full of food. “Wanna take a walk across the station? Better than being cooped up in here.” Noct considered it for a moment, before nodding.

“Yeah, sure, why not?” he said, a slight smile gracing his lips. He poked at his food some more, trying to eat a little more of it without cringing at the cold taste, Prompto not-so-subtly sharing some of his meal every time his friend looked away.

The walk across the station platform was nice. Not too many people around, and there were some amazing sights to be captured on camera. Noctis considered that maybe Prompto just wanted company as he took photos. He didn’t mind, it was nice to relax for the moment, with no guilt about staying still. There was nothing that could be done until the train was ready, after all.

The two of them must have lost track of time as they soaked in the breathtaking scenery before them. Gladio was fast approaching, calling their names.

“The train’s leaving soon, move your asses!”

“R-right!” Prompto called back, lightly grabbing Noct’s arm as the two rushed over.

“Iggy’s by the train,” he said, pointing his thumb in its rough direction. “You ready?” The question was directed more at Noct, who stood firm in affirmation, an air of conviction on his features. As the three of them met up with Ignis and boarded the train, they failed to notice a most unwelcome passenger was joining them from a few carriages down.

* * *

As the train set off, Noct opted to spend some time away from his companions, watching the scenery scroll by through the large open windows as he leant against the wall of the sleeping cabins. He subconsciously placed his fingers over the shirt that covered his rather sizeable scar. The damage was healed and the poisons were finally clear from his system, but everything it represented still remained, including the knowledge hanging over his head that his actions had made the entire situation worse for everyone.

On top of reclaiming the Crystal and his kingdom, he now had the added pressure of proving his worth to the past Kings of Lucis.

A light pat on the shoulder almost had him jumping out of his skin as his focus darted to the blond with the cheeky smile next to him.

“O-oh, hey Prompto,” Noct stammered, trying to not look as hilariously flustered as he probably was. “You doing okay?”

“I should be asking you that dude, I’ve been stood here for the past five minutes. You were totally checked out.” Prompto was still grinning, trying to stifle a laugh at the prince’s lack of composure.

“Oh, right.” He went back to looking out of the windows. In the corner of his vision, he spotted his friend leaning forward to be directly in his line of sight. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Sorry, just thinking too hard about things. Again.”

“I figured as much.” Prompto pushed himself away from the wall to stand directly in front of Noctis. “If you wanna talk, you know I’m here any time, right?”

“Not gonna force it out of me?” Noct replied with a laugh. Prompto shook his head with a mock-disapproving expression.

“Not at all,” he said, as chipper as ever. “That’s more of a Gladio and Ignis thing to do.” The two of them let out a laugh, Noct stifling his as he glanced to the carriage door.

“I’m gonna go find Ignis, wanna come?”

“Nah, it’s fine. You were really onto something with watching the scenery fly by. It’s nice.”

Noct smiled. “It really is. Well, I’ll talk to you later then.” A hand caught his arm before he could walk away. He turned back to face a much more serious expression from the gunner.

“Whether you talk to us or not, just know we’ve got your back, Noct,” he said firmly. “ _ I _ got your back, Noct. Always. We’ll do this together.”

“Thanks, Prompto.”

Those words clung to Noctis’ chest, suffocating him as he stared in horror at the sight of his best friend falling from the moving train. There was barely any time to comprehend what had happened, or the Chancellor’s words before a sickening crack, an explosion of pain and the world around him went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woop, it's all kicking off! Again! Gonna be skipping part for the rest of this. Only the bits where nothing much changes. Don't wanna completely rewrite the entirety of the second half of the game, after all x3
> 
> I've only got one other chapter completed now this is posted, so I'll keep updates fewer. Hopefully it won't go anything longer than once a week at most.
> 
> Thanks for reading! <3
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Kings of old can be most unforgiving.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to finally post this before I called it a night, so I didn't get chance to do my usual pre-post check. But I read it through like, three times so here's hoping it's all good!
> 
> I drew some art from the fic today too. Just as a warning, there's blood. You can see it on my [tumblr](http://doodlebless.tumblr.com/post/157876591927)~
> 
> Anyways, thank you all again for your continued support, you're all so amazing!! <3

Everything hurt. It was too bright, too loud. Noctis’ head hurt and his muscles ached from fending Imperial soldiers from the train. He could feel a faint buzzing against his leg, but couldn’t place what it was. His eyes glassy and unfocused, vague memories of the Kings stood tall above him played in his mind, their voices echoing in his ears. He only lingered on those thoughts for a moment before he hauled himself sluggishly to his knees. He was moving. Fast. He was on top of a train?

A flash of realisation hit him as Prompto’s cry echoed in his head. He yanked his phone out of his pocket before the crushing realisation that he held his friend’s phone in his hands, with many missed calls from Ignis and Gladio. There was no way to contact his friend.

“Damnit.” He tried to swallow down the panic rising up within him as the phone rang once more. He answered it shakily, bracing himself against the rushing winds throwing his balance.

_ “Thank goodness, is everything alright?” _ Ignis’ tone was urgent.

“Ignis, you’ve gotta stop this thing!”

_ “What happened, Noct?” _

“Prompto fell off the train, I pushed him - I mean, Ardyn made me!” The correction sounded so much like a child trying to deflect blame to get out of being punished, it made him wince. He had far more important matters on hand at the moment, however. “We can’t leave him!”

_ “Noct, stay calm. I’m as concerned for Prompto as you are, but stopping the train now would endanger everyone on board--” _

“I know that!” Noct interrupted, his heart pounding. “But you think I’m gonna just leave him behind like that? What if he’s hurt, or  _ worse _ ?!”

_ “Noctis, please think for a moment, if the Chancellor is involved, it’s likely that he’s not even there any more.” _ The prince let out a yell in frustration. His vision was swimming after the blow to his head, and the motion of the train wasn’t helping as he tried to collect his thoughts. The Kings and the Crystal could wait; he just wanted to make sure his friend was alright.

“There has to be something we can do,” he pleaded with his advisor. “Ignis  _ please _ .” This was all his fault. He’d become so focused with what was needed to regain the favour of his ancestors, he didn’t even realise anything was amiss. He had to fix this, he couldn’t let another person he loved suffer for him.

“ _...Noct? _ ” The prince realised he’d gone deathly silent. Had Ignis been talking then? He couldn’t remember. Taking a deep breath, he looked ahead to the approaching tunnel.

“Are the two of you okay, at least?” he finally choked out. If he couldn’t go back, he could at least make sure his remaining companions were safe.

“ _ We’re fine. Whereabouts are you? _ ”

Noct glanced around, hesitant to tell the truth. “...I’m on top of the train.”

“ _ On top of the--?? _ ” Ignis was dumbfounded. “ _ Can you find a way down to meet us? _ ”

“Yeah, I’ll find a way.” Noctis made to stand up, his breath catching at the sight before him. The tunnel was lined with daemons. “Just gotta take care of some business first.” Pocketing the phone, he summoned his Engine Blade, ready to attack.

Noct knew he’d have a hard time fighting on the top of the train, made even worse by the waves of dizzy spells that had him stumbling and staying low to the roof for support. At least they were small daemons; Snagas were easy enough to kill from a clean sweep of his blade.

And then the larger daemons arrived. Gargoyles began to crash onto the train’s roof and Noct prepared himself. At the distance he was from the creatures, a warp strike would do more than enough damage. He threw his weapon, preparing to warp. It struck the enemy, but then dissolved to nothing, the prince remaining in place. “ _ What? _ ” he gasped out, summoning daggers this time and throwing it at the fast approaching enemies. It didn’t even reach its target before fading away once more. 

A feeling of dread rose within him as he barely had the time to call forth his blade once more and block the beast’s attack. There were more of the large creatures on the way, followed by even more Snaga; it took everything Noct had not to scream.

He could warp before, he warped just fine against the Imperial attack, and that had only just happened! But then why--

He blocked and parried another attack as he switched to his great sword and swung strongly at the mass of enemies. In a couple slow yet strong swings, they dissolved to nothing. Taking that moment to catch his breath, everything clicked into place. Prompto. He wanted to turn back; neither the Crystal nor Kings mattered in that moment, not compared to his friend. It seemed clear that such thought counted as a further sign of betrayal. He looked ahead to see more daemons headed his way.

“You’re going to punish me for  _ that _ ?!” he yelled incredulously. Were the Kings and Crystal really so determined to keep him from even glancing away from his path? He hadn’t even  _ done _ anything! He moved to prepare fire magic, blood running cold when he felt nothing.

This was bad. He could get by without the Armiger Arsenal, but with his warping and spells gone…

He took a steadying breath and went on the attack.

* * *

Gladio kept checking his phone in between hacking at any stray daemons on the train as he assisted with moving passengers to safety.

“Still nothing,” he grumbled, glancing around for any other signs of life.

“He said he had something to take care of,” Ignis replied from a short distance. “We can only hope he isn’t doing something reckless.”

“Iggy, this is Noct we’re talking about here.” After drinking down a potion to patch up the minor injuries he’d sustained -  _ Noct was right, they  _ were _ weaker now _ \- he dialled the prince’s borrowed phone once more. “Damnit, pick up!”

The train shook and they both lost their balance. Ignis roughly grabbed onto one of the armrests as Gladio managed to stay upright. A shocked gasp from the shield caught Ignis’ attention. “What’s wrong?”

“Leviathan…” he said quietly, watching in awe as the Hydrean loomed over, her attacks crashing into the cliff faces as it barrelled forward. “Get down!” A hand on Ignis’ head, he pulled the both of them to the floor as water crashed through the windows, glass raining down upon them along with what was left of Leviathan’s rage. “Shit, did Noct do that?” His eyes widened at the realisation. Noctis was still up there.

Lightly holding Ignis’ arm, the two of them sped to the front of the train as Gladio dialed for the prince once more. Still nothing.

“Don’t do this to me, Noct,” he growled as they made it to the sleeping carriage. The windows lay in ruins, heavily exposing them to the winds that rushed by. As they ran through, they could’ve have so easily missed the the pained gasps from one if the sleeping compartments. Ignis picked up on it, with Gladio peering through a partly open door to find the prince sat on the bed, wincing at the claw marks on his right arm, covered in scrapes and newly forming bruises. He looked on the verge of collapse.

“Noct!” Gladio forced the door wide open as the younger man sprung to his feet, panic still set in his eyes. “Damn, what happened to you?”

“Daemons,” he choked out, realising there was no threat. “I couldn’t...I couldn’t--”

“It’s alright, Noct,” Ignis said as soothingly as he could, feeling for the door behind him to slide it shut. “Gladio took care of any daemons that have boarded. We’ve gotten everyone to safety. It’s alright.” Noctis flinched. It wasn’t alright. Prompto wasn’t safe, far from it. But there was nothing he could even do to help his friend. Still shaking as he slumped back onto the bed and closed his eyes, he tried to steady his breathing in vain.

“He’s pretty banged up,” Gladio directed himself to Ignis. “I’m gonna go find some supplies.”

“Understood.” He didn’t need Gladio to tell him to stay close to Noctis. As soon as the two were alone in the compartment, Ignis felt his way over, sitting by Noct’s side. There was a heavy silence in the air, broken only by unsteady breathing. Ignis felt the prince jump as he placed a comforting hand on his back.

The ever firm, ever grounding reassurance of Ignis made Noct feel like he was going to crack under its weight. He scrunched his eyes tight and curled up on himself further, shaking harder as his muscles tensed.

They sat in silence until Gladio came back; he had an armful of potions and as many bandages he could fit into his pockets. It was tense while he patched Noctis up; the prince was unresponsive when told to drink the potion. Gladio forced it into his hand to break it. It was less effective but only option they had with him in this state. The larger man was thankful that the wounds weren’t too deep as the worst of it patched up before his eyes.

It was when Gladio was wrapping the bandages around his arm that he heard a quiet, unsteady voice.

“...It’s all gone. Everything. All my fault.”

“What is?” Ignis inquired. There was no response. “Noct?”

“I wanted to go back. I wanted to save Prompto. More than finding the Crystal, more than  _ anything _ .” His breath caught in his throat. “I guess the Kings didn’t like that.” Gladio’s frown deepened.

“You can’t mean…”

Noctis gave a weak nod, swallowing hard. “...Warping and elemancy.” He could feel Ignis’ fingers tense on his back. They knew what he meant; he couldn’t even bring himself to look at them by this point. There was nothing to say; his shield and his advisor has both strived to continue their duty for him, yet he continued to fall further and further from his.

It was a long pause before he felt he could speak again. “Prompto’s gone, I can’t warp or use magic, nights are getting longer, daemons are on the loose more than ever, Tenebrae is on  _ fire, _ ” Noct’s voice cracked as it gradually raised; each point digging into him deeper and deeper until tears threatened to fall from his eyes. He held them back. “I’ve made everything even worse and for what? I couldn’t even help Prompto.” Keeping his head low, his hands clenched into fists so tight his knuckles had no colour. Gladio sat on the opposite bed, head in hands, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Ignis leaned into Noct, wrapping his arms around the prince’s trembling form in a supportive hug as the train continued onwards.

* * *

The ever-earlier night had settled in Tenebrae. Ignis sighed as overheard worried comments from the passengers about what was going to happen next. He perked up as Gladio placed a tray of food in front of him.

“It’s nothing you’d be proud to call a meal, but it’ll do,” he said, trying to inject some humour into his voice, but it just sounded hollow.

“Is he still sleeping?” Ignis asked, poking at his food after fumbling around for the fork.

“Yeah. Didn’t have the heart to wake him up, even for something to eat.”

“He’s been through a lot, but neglecting to eat will only cause more trouble later.”

“I know. I’ll grab him some snacks on the way back.” Ignis hummed in response and went back to his meal. The dining cart had begun to clear out as the hours grew late, the atmosphere almost piercing as they ate in silence.

“Rather time we should be heading back, don’t you think?” Ignis inquired. “As sure as I am that Noct is still asleep, if he were to wake and we were absent…” He trailed off, sure Gladio got his meaning. They both stood and made to leave. Gladio hesitated.

“He wouldn’t be in this mess if it wasn’t for me.” Ignis turned to face his rough direction, surprised.

“Gladio, what’s done is done. All we can do now is stand beside Noct and hope that will be enough to guide him.”

“I wasn’t by his side before though, was I?” His voice was bitter. Noctis may have been the one to anger the Kings, but Gladio was the one who provoked it in the first place. Ignis sighed.

“Will you stand by him now, Gladio?”

“Of course, what kind of question is that?”

“Then let us go to him and do what we can.”

Gladio let out a breath, knowing Ignis was right, and the two of them headed off to join the sleeping prince.

* * *

Noctis’ dreams were nothing more than jumbled recollections of the day’s events. Chasing who he thought was Ardyn across the train dissolved into his best friend’s cry as he fell, pushed by Noct’s own hands. The daemons swarming endlessly as he fought for his life.

Leviathan rising high above him to rid the train of all remaining daemons, her voice ringing painfully in his head as he clung to the train desperately. ‘ _ How far the Chosen King has fallen, _ ’ she had mocked. The words played on loop in his head, threatening to consume him.

How far indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh man, this one hurt to write. Poor Noct is fast reaching his limits ;w; ...No I'm not sorry I'm the one causing all this harm >3>;;;
> 
> I'm gonna get into more detail on what the Kings found issue with this time, but that's later. Either way they're assholes.
> 
> Least Leviathan was a total boss and helped out.
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis meets with the Glacian, and into Gralea they go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my lovelies, it's been a while! I think I've kept everyone waiting long enough x3
> 
> Updates are gonna be pretty slow for a while. Work's been all over the place. The store I work for is currently switching ownership and everything's up in the air and absolutely exhausting atm. Having a tough time keeping my eyes open while I write lately, which is annoying because I have so many ideas I want to write down!
> 
> So anyways, I hope you all enjoy the chapter, and thank you all again from the bottom of my heart for the lovely comments (yes even the ones yelling at me are lovely thank you <3), kudos and everything else!! You're all awesome!

“Why didn’t you wake me sooner? We don’t have time to wait around,” Noctis said in a frustrated tone, roughly putting his jacket on and grabbing his boots. Ignis pinched the bridge of his nose; he thought it was obvious that he and Gladio wanted Noct to get some proper rest for his injuries to heal, especially considering where their next destination was.

“You know full well what happened the last time you didn’t want to wait around,” he shot back, a little harsher than intended. Noct froze, sat on the bed. His eyes glanced down to where his scar was.

“This isn’t the same,” he replied quietly, keeping his eyes low. Ignis chastised himself internally for the comment.

“We’re all packed up now, anyway,” Gladio piped in. “Just gotta let Biggs and Wedge know we’re ready to, as they say, ‘shove off’.” Noct smirked a little, then grabbed one of the bags from the older man and the three of them set off to the train.

* * *

It was a long and isolated journey. The carriages were as barren as the barely visible scenery that rolled by. Noct had taken to staring blankly out of the window; the voices over the tannoy, along with Gladio and Ignis’ conversations, fading to a dull drone he couldn’t quite decipher over his own thoughts.

He just had to keep going. For the Crystal. For Prompto. For the Kings.

For  _ everyone _ .

He scrunched his eyes shut, a wave of anxiousness hitting him that made his stomach turn. Getting from his seat, Gladio looked towards him. “You okay?” he asked.

“Yeah, just going for a walk.” He’d made it a few paces away before Ignis spoke.

“Noct, I have a question, if I may,” he said cautiously. Noctis turned around.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Apologies for the sensitive subject, but you earlier said you believed the Kings stripped you of your warping and elemancy powers. Did you perhaps speak with them again? Did they say anything as to why they would further punish you?”

“O-oh,” Noct stuttered, the nauseous feeling in his stomach rising. He was hoping the topic of the Kings wouldn’t come up, although it was a pretty farfetched hope. “I don’t think I spoke with them. I mean, I don’t think I did anything objectionable until I’d already woken up, so...” He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck.

“That’s quite alright, Noct,” Ignis said plainly. “Thank you.” Without another word, Noctis turned and set off down the train, trying to clear his head. A futile effort, but being away from any discussion of the Kings, the Crystal, the Glacian or Prompto helped somewhat. The more he thought about the road beyond Shiva, the more he felt like he was going to throw up whatever meager amount of food he’d eaten lately.

Gulping down a deep breath, he sat on one of the many empty seats and closed his eyes, taking in the silence. A sudden jolt woke him sometime later, as the train screeched to a stop. “What..?” he mumbled quietly, getting to his feet and finding his way back to Gladio and Ignis.

He found Gladio talking to Biggs over the radio. The larger man spotted Noct’s approach, motioning him outside. “Hopefully just a quick snow shovelling job,” he said briskly, heading towards the carriage door. Noctis and Ignis followed.

* * *

The sight of the daemons spawning around the train was the last thing any of them had wanted; taking them out with Noctis’ reduced abilities, along with the freezing temperature, proved difficult. Now, in the blizzard-like conditions on board the train, Noct forced himself to keep moving ever closer to the Chancellor that stood between him and his companions.

He couldn’t even tell if he was calling out to Ardyn or not over the roaring wind; everything became a blur in the icy cold that forced its way through the carriage. He knew it was because of the Glacian, but had no idea how close she truly was, until he saw Gentiana freeze Ardyn with a touch of her finger to his lips.

“Oh Chosen King, strayed from the path of his ancestors. May you yet restore light unto this world.” Shiva’s voiced echoed in his mind, mixing with the pounding of his heart in his ears. Before her, she held the Trident of the Oracle - Luna’s trident. He stumbled forward to grab it, almost jumping back at the vision that appeared before him. Luna and Ravus, talking in Tenebrae.

Luna’s duty was killing her; she  _ knew _ she was going to die. And yet she kept going. For Noctis.

And he had so readily thrown that sacrifice away.

He didn’t allow himself time to dwell on that revelation. Hauling himself unsteadily to his feet as Shiva and the trident disappeared, his eyes narrowed as he saw Ardyn’s frozen form before him. Summoning his blade, Noct smashed clean through the figure as the force sent him to the ground, shivering intensely. He roused Ignis and Gladio, and soon the two of them had left to check on Biggs and Wedge.

Alone in the carriage, Noctis looked to the ground, cold, weary, and trying to suppress the deep ache in his chest from betraying Luna’s sacrifice. He closed his eyes and let out a chilled breath. When he opened them again, his eyes widened as he saw a figure stood before him.

His gaze darted up as he tried to choke back a gasp. It was Luna, as beautiful as the day she spoke to the Altissian citizens, a sad smile on her face.

“Luna…” Noct’s voice cracked as he spoke. “I’m so sorry, Luna, I didn’t mean to--” The figure shook her head slowly, silencing him. He was still, staring endlessly at her, sylleblossom petals gently fluttering past him. His breathing hitched, her gaze feeling as if it burnt through him. Glancing down to the floor, he squeezed his eyes tight. “It was so,  _ so _ hard for you...yet you never ran. You kept fighting, knowing what would happen...and I threw it all away.” As expected, there was no response. “Please forgive me,” he finally choked out, opening his eyes once more to see the apparition before him had vanished. He stumbled to his feet once more to meet with the others.

Noct didn’t get far before the Chancellor was there once more, as if he’d never been smashed into a thousand icy shards.

“For a moment I felt death’s chill wind, such is the might of the gods. But then, I remembered I’m immortal. Such is my blessing and curse.” Noct took a step back. Immortal? The thought soon left his mind as gh fought to push back the memories of what happened in Altissia that were bubbling within him. He had to keep focused on what was right before him as he watched the man cautiously. “Your attack hurt me, nevertheless. My feelings, at least.” A cold glare from the older man pierced through him, freezing him in place even more so than the Glacian had.

Noctis’ hand twitched, ready to pull forth a weapon. “Where is Prompto?” he demanded. Ardyn tilted his head, smirking before pulling out a familiar looking gun. All the panic and tension Noct had tried to hold back built up all at once. He couldn’t suppress an angry cry as he made a dive to grab it, flinching back as it got pulled away.

“Ah ah ah! You mustn’t take what’s not yours.” Ardyn turned to walk away, playfully wielding the gun in Noct’s sight.

“I said  _ where is he _ ?!”

A slight laugh left the Chancellor’s lips. “The little gunman’s a short shot away.”

“Where?”

“Where else but Gralea, the seat of the empire? I’m sure he’ll be delighted to see you.” There was a tense pause; Noctis scowled. This entire conversation felt like one long taunt. “However…” Ardyn turned to face Noct completely, that smug smirk still plastered on his face. “I would choose my loyalties carefully, if I were you. It would be truly tragic to reach your goal, your  _ dear friend _ , only to find both Kings and Crystal have abandoned you. Wouldn’t you agree, Noct?”

The prince’s skin crawled at the tone in his voice. How did Ardyn know about the Kings doubt that loomed over his head? He sighed. Of course Ardyn would know, he’s  _ Ardyn _ . Noctis steeled himself with a deep breath.

“They can think what they want,” he said daringly. Ardyn walked towards him.

“But fear not,” the man continued. “You’ll surely find out the Crystal’s judgement yourself. If you can find it.” A sharp glare as he passed the younger man. “With all these daemon’s about, you should certainly hope you still have its favour.” Another snide laugh. “Well, off you go, then. I wouldn’t want to keep you from your  _ friend _ .”

Noctis winced at the words, fists clenched, head still reeling from the lingering cold and with so much racing through his head. His enemy was  _ right there _ , yet he couldn’t bring himself to make an attack. He never even saw the Chancellor click down a button on the device in his hand before walking away.

* * *

They made their battle plans as they drew ever closer to Gralea. Zegnautus Keep, a supposedly impregnable fortress, was their destination once they arrived. Gladio noted that Noct seemed increasingly tense as time went on; by the time they even got close, he was almost completely hunched over himself. None of them had any clue whether the Crystal would rid the world of the daemons, but it was the best chance they had. An apprehensive atmosphere hung thick in the air.

The three of them jolted as the train screeched to a stop. “What’s wrong?” Ignis enquired.

“Probably something else to sidetrack us,” Gladio grumbled, heading for the carriage door with Ignis in tow, followed by Noct. A shockwave hit the train, almost sending them flying to the floor, and in no time at all, daemons were forming inside of the carriage. Noctis reached out to summon his Engine Blade.

Nothing.

He focused on summoning his daggers instead.

Still nothing.

Spear? Greatsword?  _ Anything _ ? He mentally ran through his entire arsenal but no weapon would summon.

Gladio looked to Noct, seeing how suddenly pale he had become. “Noct?”

“M...my weapons, they’re…” He couldn’t breathe. Were the Kings punishing him further? What could he have done to betray them now?! He felt a grip on his arm pull him back as Gladio pushed ahead and kicked away a nearby daemon.

“We need to run!” Ignis said firmly. Gladio tightened the grip on Noctis’ arm and dragged him along, almost causing him to tip over.

“Noct, pull yourself together!” the older man yelled, glancing back at the prince, who was now struggling to get his breathing right. Noctis nodded distantly as he was pulled.

“I suggest we make for the back of the train, to the Regalia,” Ignis suggested, batting at any daemons he ran into with his cane.

“Right,” Gladio agreed as they sprinted further back into the storage car. The monsters seemed never ending, but they’d finally made it to their destination. Gladio released his hold on Noct, leaving the younger man to plant his hands hard on the boot of the car, desperately trying to blink back the dark spots in his vision and choking back as much air as he could. After a mere few seconds, he stumbled his way towards the driver’s seat, only making it a couple of steps before Gladio forced him into the back seat with Ignis.

“Gladio, what--” He failed to croak out his protest, coughing hard as his lungs protested. Ignis had one hand on Noct’s shoulder, the other rubbing his back as Gladio dove behind the wheel and slammed on the accelerator.

The security in Gralea was activated. They would have to be fast and evade enemy attacks if they were to gain entrance to the keep. As Gladio focused on driving, Ignis could feel the short sharp breaths the prince was barely managing to hold onto. “Easy now, Noct,” he said soothingly. His voice was faint, but as Noct felt his advisor’s hand gently motioning around his back, it helped him focus. Bit by bit, he could breathe again.

“Are you alright? What happened?” Ignis asked worriedly. Taking as deep a breath as he could, he nodded to himself at first.

“Y-yeah. I think…” Dread rose up in him again as he looked out of the windows to see the carnage happening around them, remembering they were now completely defenseless. “Ignis, they took my weapons.” His choked voice sounded so desperate that Ignis’ breath caught in his throat. “I didn’t...I didn’t do anything wrong, I swear!” The older man placed his hand on Noct’s head and drew him close, hoping to stop him panicking again. The prince kept his gaze locked on what was ahead of him.

“Gladio, how goes things?” Ignis could hear the explosions and the tremors shaking the car, but he frustratingly lacked any other context.

“Almost there, I’m gonna see if the old girl can give any more.” Another explosion, then a sharp jolt as the car screeched to a stop told Ignis they had either made it, or were forced to a halt.

Noct was the first one out of the car, pulling away from Ignis’ hold and gazing almost blankly at the wreckage of his father’s car. Gladio placed a hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry, Noct,” he said sincerely. “She gave it her all.”

Ignis joined them as they stood in silence. King Regis’ car; the place where Noctis had felt safest, was now before them in ruins. “Thanks for everything, dad,” Noct finally said, his voice seemed devoid of emotion. He turned to move off, feeling disturbingly disconnected from everything. Like he’d reached a level beyond panicking, where so much horror had unfolded before him that he stopped feeling it.

_ That wouldn’t be a bad thing _ , he thought as the three headed off on their way.

Noct moved ahead, hoping to scout out the area to keep Ignis safe. He hadn’t expected the train carriage that he had barely passed under to crash down, separating him from his two remaining companions. “Ignis! Gladio!” he called for them, but got no response.

Alone in enemy territory with no weapons, no magic, and no clue what he was going to do.

Then the daemons showed up, along with the Chancellor’s grating voice over the loudspeakers.

‘ _ Look at you, all by your lonesome. _ ’

Noct grit his teeth as he ran for it, chasing through the abandoned carriages as daemons clawed and pounced at him. Staggering his way along, he grabbed a loose piece of metal and headed for some nearby stairs, swinging at anything that came close as Ardyn’s chuckle rang in his ears.

“You sick son of a bitch,” he hissed, striking a daemon hard in the face. “Damnit, leave me  _ alone _ .”

Finally he’d made it into a building, slamming the door shut. He had no clue if he was even going the right way, but his options were less than few, and he needed a moment to just _ think _ . He glanced at the cuts and scrapes on his body. They paled in comparison to previous injuries he’d sustained, but were still enough to send small shocks of pain through him.

He knew he didn’t have time, but he needed to rest. He needed a plan of attack. He needed a way  _ to _ attack.

He glanced down at his jacket pocket, taking in a shaky breath as he felt the Ring of the Lucii’s weight heavier than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OH BOY WASN'T THAT A FUN ONE? *looks around nervously*
> 
> Okay so a couple things to note now this chapter's over~
> 
> Ardyn did use the seal thing, as he did in the game, but Noct is completely unaware of that. Ardyn's just so _good_ at making things worse.
> 
> I took a guess that Gladio can drive. I dunno if that's true, but here he can. He just doesn't because the driver's seat lacks the leg room and he likes to read too much xP
> 
> Also thanks Shiva for still actually believing in Noct still. The astrals are surprisingly chill with still helping him. Unlike a bunch of certain ancestors >3>  
> Thanks so much for reading, everyone! <3
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Noctis speaks with the Old Kings and makes his way through Zegnautus Keep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks once again for sticking with me, everyone! <3 So many amazing comments and lots of lovely kudos, it makes every word I write even more sweet 'cause I see you guys enjoying it! :D
> 
> Anyways, without further ado, hope you enjoy!

Fingers trembling as he buried them deep into his jacket pocket, Noctis’ breath caught in his throat as he pulled out his fist, feeling the Ring of the Lucii respond to his touch. Its energy washed over him like a barrage of waves, making his head spin and body shudder as he sunk to his knees. Memories of those lost, of their sacrifices slammed painfully into his mind, followed by the harrowing guilt of how readily he had been to throw it away and be rid of all the ring stood for.

He willed his hand to open - to at least  _ look _ at it. Swallowing to steady his breathing and shaking arm, he forced his hand to pry open, as a wave of nausea washed over him.

The ring was powerful, and he was terrified. He’d heard legends of what could happen to those unworthy of his ancestors’ power, yet here was was, no weapons, all alone, and with no other options.

The ring made its way closer to his finger. It was like fighting through an unseen force that was keeping it away. He just had to keep pushing. Closer. Closer…

His head snapped back as a painful energy flowed through him, a cry escaping his mouth as the ring settled on his finger. Gasping for breath, the already lifeless world around him seemed to have stopped. He instinctively shuffled back as tall figures formed to loom over him, his fearful eyes darting between them.

_ “You, who have fallen so far; what right do you have to bear the ring of your ancestors?” _

Noctis winced. Again with the painful voices. This wasn’t many voices speaking together, however, but just one of the Kings. Noct subconsciously gripped his right hand.

“Please,” he said. “I need your power.” His voice shook and his words came out so weak, so powerless. The Kings laughed.

_ “And you should feel worthy of this power? The very same power you abandoned and only reclaimed to ease your guilt?” _

Noct’s breath caught as his gaze snapped down to his right hand. A burning pain began to sear through it, starting at his fingers and working its way up his arm. His eyes widened at the lava-like lines of heat creeping further and further, cradling it as he cried out.

“S- _ stop _ !” he gasped out desperately, willing the pain to fade as the Kings stood in silence. “I...I don’t have anything else. I  _ need _ \--” He doubled over with another cry as it spread further towards his shoulder and neck.

_ “Enough.” _

The pain seemed to diminish somewhat at the voice; whether from the Kings relenting or his own senses dulling under the strain. It was such an achingly familiar voice. Blinking pained tears from his sight, he looked up again.

_ “Young King, this is twice now you have spoken against us. What authority do you possess to call our judgement into question?” _

Noct’s hazy mind wondered.  _ Twice? _ He grit his teeth, head low, as the pain began to sink in gradually once more.

_ “What I lack in authority among you all, I greatly make up for in my own judgement,” _ the king spoke sternly.  _ “You shall silence me no longer.” _

_ “And this judgement is not clouded by familial love for your son?” _

Noct’s head snapped up again. “...Dad?” He said it so quiet, he thought he would not be heard. After a long moment, Regis knelt down before Noctis, taking in the sight of his son hunched over before him, so desperate, yet his tenaciousness shone through.

_ “My son is strong and loyal,” _ Regis spoke, never taking his gaze from the prince.  _ “He will see his duty to the end.” _ The armour stood up again, and nodded, leaving the rest to his son. Noctis rose to his feet, still holding his burnt arm.

“Kings of Lucis, please hear me.” He tried to keep his voice from trembling as he strived to be as formal as he could before his ancestors. “I know I’ve made mistakes, and I  _ know _ I still have need to prove myself, but this ring--” He lifted his hand, wincing at the stabs of pain coursing through it. “--is the only thing I have left. I  _ will  _ get the Crystal back, I told you I would. But I can’t do it while defenseless.”

Noct waited for a response, but the Kings remained silent. The weight of the atmosphere feeling like it was going to crush him, until they finally spoke.

_ “Very well,” _ they said.  _ “But you walk a thin line. You would declare your loyalty more to one of impure origin than to your ancestors and Crystal. A dangerous path to walk.” _

That phrase ‘impure origin’ rubbed Noctis the wrong way -  _ Prompto’s common upbringing surely shouldn’t be cause for such a backlash _ \- but he chose to not pursue it. Afterall, he didn’t want to antagonise the Kings any further than he already had. Instead, he he bowed deeply.

“Thank you.”

His thanks were aimed far more towards his father than the old Kings; there was so much he wanted to say, so much he wanted to know. But for now, those words would have to be enough.

Time shifted once more and he felt everything return to normal. Gazing down at his arm, he flexed his hand, seeing remnants of the burns he’d suffered whittle their way down, leaving slight charred scars behind.

It was time to reclaim both his friend and his Crystal.

* * *

The first few fights had been a trial. Noct knew the ring wouldn’t be as powerful as it should have been; his magic had been greatly diminished through the Kings’ punishment. It was just enough to survive on though, it seemed. He could feel the energy being ripped from him as he conjured the death spell, eerie whispers speaking unknown words in his ears, only to stumble back as the daemons’ energy slammed back into him. He’d never felt so energised yet exhausted in his life.

Even more exhausting was the endless barrage of taunts from the obnoxious Chancellor. He’d mostly laugh at Noct’s attempts to fight through into the keep, but he always knew just what to say to hit a mental blow to the young man.

_ ‘It must be so lonely without your friends, _ ’ he practically purred through the loudspeakers.  _ ‘Perhaps they finally saw you as a lost cause and went home?’ _ A small chuckle.  _ ‘I wouldn’t blame them.’ _

“Shut up,” Noctis hissed under his breath. Ardyn had been turning all his negative thoughts against him, all too easily picking apart the fears that ran through his mind. Prompto, Ignis an Gladio, the Kings. The Crystal. He scrunched his eyes tight with a deep breath and carried onwards, trying to block out the gleeful voice ringing in his ears.

He made his way further towards the inners of the keep, trudging along, left hand planted firmly on his right arm as he felt a constant heavy burning sensation seeping through his skin. The ring was heavy on his finger, but after wave upon wave of daemons, he was finally getting used to the effects of the death spell he so desperately used.

Then came the MTs.

They were fast. Too fast. Noct hid away in one of the alcoves, only to be dragged back out and nearly bludgeoned by a patrolling Axeman. The death spell wasn’t quick enough, barely having any effect on the Magitek before it was upon him once more, this time hitting him hard in the shoulder as he ducked out of the way. He steeled himself, feeling as if he were searching within the ring for the power he needed.

The ring glowed brightly as Noctis held his hand out in front of him. The world seemed to distort as a void opened up before both him and the MT, pulling the enemy into its grasp. It closed up as soon as it opened, leaving the prince gasping and staring down at his tensed arm, wide-eyed at the burns that ran up it as a spell of dizziness washed over him.

He took a moment to regain his composure, then set on his way once more as the damage slowly disappeared.

The Magitek soldiers only increased with time. Noct’s waning focus thanks to the ring’s power made it difficult to recall any patrol patterns he’s spotted. They kept catching him off guard, so he desperately relied on the alterna spell to pull them into endless void. He could feel the toll it took on the magic within him; while the death spell had at least given him some burst of energy, alterna did nothing but take, and take  _ quickly _ .

Another MT down and Noctis was on his knees, reeling from the constant magic use and frustrated that ethers were hardly helping ease his exhaustion. Usually he’d have a moment to breathe before continuing, but this time another MT had careened its way towards the weakened prince.

He was already exhausted, the magic weakly coursing within him almost depleted, the death spell too slow to be effective. Willing the ring for another attack, the soldier’s charge bounced off him in a flash of brilliant white. He dragged himself up to his feet, arms raised in defense once more as the spell protected him in another flash of light.

His head was pounding, he needed to find somewhere to hide. Stumbling through the corridors as he continued to block the MT’s barrage, he frantically raced for the dormitory door he’d sighted, choking out a relieved sigh as his pursuer finally collapsed to the ground.

The pressure he felt in his head was unbearable, pressing down hard and distorting his vision. He barely had time to walk up to the bed before he collapsed onto it, unconscious.

* * *

_ “...oct? Noct!” _

Noctis forced his eyes open, grimacing at the dull ache that remained in his head. How long had he been out? It didn’t feel like long enough, but he knew he needed to keep moving. Using the bunk bed frame to haul himself up, he looked around, wondering out loud.

“Did someone just--?”

_ “Noct! Help!” _

His eyes widened.

“Prompto?!” Noctis sped out of the room, eyes darting around for his friend. He took a few cautious steps forward, but found nothing.

Wait. Not nothing. He could hear metal on metal, getting louder. He barely had time to turn around before an MT sent him flying to the ground with a lunge of its weapon.

Noct managed to dispose of it with alterna, blinking hard to ease the pounding in his skull that just added to his headache. A jovial laugh echoed through the corridors.

_ ‘Oh, you should have seen the look on your face!’  _ Ardyn jeered. _ ‘I didn’t truly think it would be  _ that _ easy.’ _ Noct swore under his breath, scanning around for any other threats.  _ ‘So terribly sorry to interrupt your little nap,  _ Highness _. I’m sure that time spent not searching for your precious friend has been oh so wonderful for him. _ ’ The prince froze. Damnit, Ardyn was right. It was all wasted time; time that could cost Prompto greatly.

He carried onwards at a faster pace than before.

* * *

Noct wasn’t sure how much more of this place he could take. Shock troopers dragged him down, and it took everything he had to shake them off before they could explode. Daemons were growing more rampant than ever, chasing him down at every turn. Whenever he’d reached the safety of the dormitories, he wouldn’t sleep. Eyes focused on the door as he sat on one of the bunks, he tried desperately to ignore the ever-constant ache in his body that focused around his head and right hand.

The energy in this entire city made the thought of sleep positively revolting. The constant chill in the air, the sense of unease and isolation that coated every inch of this building. He wouldn’t allow exhaustion to take him again. As he walked along the seemingly endless corridors, visions of his dream in Lestallum came to his mind. Alone in Imperial territory. No magic, no warping, no weapons. Despite Carbuncle’s optimism, it seemed like there was no changing it after all.

* * *

He’d lost count of how many illusions of Prompto he’d fallen for. Seeing him in the corridors, tied up behind bars, even just hearing his voice. He’d fallen for every single one of them because he refused to ignore any chance that his friend really was there, really was calling for his help.

And just when he thought he was making progress, he finds himself hit once more by Ardyn’s aptitude in thoroughly pissing the prince off. The walkway he stood on collapsed under his feet, sending him hurtling countless floors down. He didn’t even remember hitting the floor, just the incredible amount of pain that shot through his back as he got to his feet.

It was a bleak place with barely any light reaching so far down. His heart raced at the sight before him. Ravus Nox Fleuret lay dead, Regis’ sword close by. A pained look at the fallen man, Noct bowed his head in thanks, approaching the sword and placing his hand around the hilt. It lit up brilliantly and vanished into the ether. A pang of longing hit him as the Royal Arms only appeared for the briefest of moments before vanishing beyond his grasp once more.

As silence and darkness descended once more, he took a deep breath and knelt next to Ravus. “Rest easy. Your work is done.”

Still armed with only the Ring of the Lucii at his disposal, he carried on his way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Gralea Fun Time - Where the ride never ends! :'D
> 
> I swear I haven't forgotten that comfort is, in fact, meant to be included in a hurt/comfort fic. It's kinda hard to do when he's on his own. Lonely times for the lonely boy ): It'll come though! Honest!
> 
> Thanks for reading, everyone!
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reunited at last, but rest still doesn't come easy for some.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful feedback on each and every chapter continues to blow me away, thank you all so much! *w*
> 
> I've lost count of how many times I've proofread this chapter. I wanted it to be just right, especially since we're not too far from the end now (wow!).

Exhausted and aching, Noctis wouldn’t allow himself to stop. Any time he’d found a dormitory, he barely stayed long enough to catch his breath for five minutes before he forced himself onwards. Even after stumbling his way through corridor upon corridor filled with poison gas, head spinning and dizziness hitting him hard,  he refused to stay still any longer than it took to rid the noxious fumes from his lungs. It brought back bad memories for him; he was just thankful all he needed to do here was find the control panel to stop the gas, as opposed to defeating a damned Malboro.

Ardyn quite happily regaled Noct with tales of how daemons were created as the prince frustratedly found his way through the maze of rooms. The Chancellor’s voice over the loudspeakers dipped in and out of Noct’s hearing. He we so tired, his focus was failing more with each passing hour. He’d began to heavily rely on the enhancer items he’d found lying around the Keep; anything to keep him moving and in one piece.

_‘Where, oh where, could your friends be, I wonder?’_ Ardyn had finished his little story and went straight back to taunting. _‘Maybe I was right? They surely must have gone home, what with their whole lives ahead of them and all. Don’t want to spend whatever time is left chasing after some rejected prince, after all.’_ Silence as Noct drew in a deep breath. Just ignore him. _‘Or perhaps they did, out of some deluded sense of loyalty, decide to follow you. How long before Gladio bites off more than he can chew, or poor Ignis bumbles straight into a trap? Oh, your poor,_ poor _friends.’_

Noctis growled. “Just shut _up_ ,” he hissed into the empty corridor. They were fine, everyone would be fine. They _had_ to be.

* * *

_‘In case you were wondering, it’s a trap.’_

Noct didn’t think Ardyn would be that up front about his schemes, but it was the only way forward, so he had little choice. The Chancellor liked to deceive them a lot; why couldn’t he have been lying for once? An electric fence that was now headed his way, with more MTs activating and raising from the ground with each passing second, ready to attack.

The alterna spell was getting too much. He’d used his last remaining ethers to keep it going as long as he could, and as the already tiny battlefield grew smaller still, he was forced close enough to feel the pull of the magic as it ripped the Magitek soldiers away from him. His arm burned like never before, wincing as he felt the heat rising up his neck and onto his cheek.

He’d gotten through all but one of the gates, fear setting over adrenaline in as the fence grew closer still. He could feel the electricity in the air as he defended against the remaining MTs with holy magic, trying to quiet the throbbing in his skull and the constant ache that pulled on his entire body. As he took down another shock trooper, he cursed himself for once again getting himself into such a stupid situation.

“Noct? Is that you?”

It was faint, but he definitely heard something. Ignis?

“Hey! Noct! Can you hear us?”

Gladio too? He daren’t even let himself think this could be another one of Ardyn’s tricks.

“Ignis, Gladio!” he called out desperately, blocking another MT’s hit with a strong flash of light. He glanced towards the gate he’d entered through, feeling a wave of relief course through him as he saw his companions headed his way. It was short lived, however, as he moved to halt yet another blow, finally toppling the soldier as he backed up as far as possible to avoid its explosion radius.

“Gladio! There ought to be a kill switch nearby - find it!” Ignis’ voice was hurried but levelheaded as ever as Gladio ran to the panel and began kicking it furiously. As Noct helplessly looked through the all-too-small gaps in the electrified gate, he saw that Ignis’ distaste with the shield’s strategy was clear. Even without his sight, he could tell all subtlety had been thrown out of the window in light of the prince’s current situation.

The gate opened and Noctis launched himself out of it, almost bowling over Gladio in the process as the larger man caught hold of him. It took a moment before Noct finally caught his breath.

“Easy there,” Gladio said, pulling the prince more upright. “You okay?” It took Noct a second to process what was said; his ears were ringing and the pounding in his head hadn’t dulled any.

“Y-yeah…” he said distantly, looking around in a daze as he tried to get a handle on what had just happened. “You’re...you’re really both here…” He let out a laugh that almost sounded like it was repressing a sob. “I figured--”

“We shan’t be leaving you, Noct,” Ignis said, not even entertaining Noctis’ train of thought. “Not now, not ever.”

“Iggy’s right,” Gladio added. “Ardyn may have shown up and led us to you, but we’d have come found you no matter what.”

Noctis had no words. He merely placed a hand on each of their forearms, as if trying to confirm they were, in fact, real. Gladio’s eyes widened.

“What happened to your arm?” he wondered, taking in the burns that ran up it. Then his eyes planted on the small piece of black metal rested on his finger. “The ring, how did you--?” Ignis’ attention darted towards Gladio’s direction, then towards where he felt Noct was. Noct smiled, betraying the weary look in his eyes.

“It’s okay, really,” he said quietly. “They almost didn’t listen when I needed its power, but…” He trailed off, the image of his father stood before him, _defending him_ , still so clear in his mind. He couldn’t let him down.

“It might be best if we rest for a short while, now that we’ve regrouped,” Ignis suggested, sensing in the younger man’s voice his reluctance to go into detail.

“Yeah, you look pretty rough, Noct,” Gladio added, studying him briefly.

“I’m fine, really.” Noct wasn’t fooling anyone, but they both knew they’d have no luck convincing him. Instead Gladio just shoved a potion into the prince’s hand. Noct cast him a quick glance, then downed it and breathed deep as some of the aches he felt deep inside eased a little. “Okay, let’s go.”

Gladio helped Noct to his feet, and the two of them assisted Ignis along the once electrified corridor.

* * *

They all felt like they could breathe a little easier now they were reunited, but knowing one member of their group was missing still played in the back of their minds. Noctis moved on ahead quite a few times, checking for patrolling MTs before Ignis could catch up alongside Gladio. He snatched another enhancer off the ground as he turned a corner, downing it before the others noticed. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to be so carelessly using enemy restoratives, but they did the job well enough as he felt his head clear somewhat.

Soon they were entering the dungeons. Noct gazed through the bars for any signs of life, then saw a lone figure at the end of the corridor, and before he knew it, his legs were carrying him as fast as they could towards the far end of the prison as he yelled out Prompto’s name. He was so close, he couldn’t be an illusion this time!

Forcing the door wide open, Gladio and Ignis were only just approaching as Noct hit the release mechanism, catching the falling man as gently as he could, helping him rest on the ground. “Prompto? Prompto can you hear me? Are you okay?” he said desperately, keeping a hand on his shoulder.

“I’m fine. Thank you, Noct,” the gunner finally said after a few agonising seconds. The fragileness in his voice, along with the injuries on his body, were heart wrenching to witness. Prompto looked him in the eye. “Tell me, where you worried about me?” That question broke any restraint still left inside the prince. He lunged towards Prompto, wrapping him in a tight hug.

“Of course I was!” he said, voice muffled by the other’s jacket. “It’s really you…I’m so sorry.” Prompto was caught completely off guard by Noctis’ actions, but after a few seconds, calmed and returned the hug.

“Don’t be, everything’s alright now. I knew you’d come get me...tell me that I'm the real me. That's why I knew I couldn't die yet.” Each word was like a stab in the heart. Noctis just held him tighter as Gladio and Ignis stood by, watching and listening out for any threats.

After a short while, Noct finally let go, sure that Prompto wasn’t going to just disappear before his eyes. Ignis and Gladio had been whispering plans the entire time, completely unheard by the two youngest members.

“Noct,” Ignis began. The prince glanced in his direction. “I believe it is best we rest now. Gladio’s informed me of Prompto’s injuries, we best not proceed further until we are _all_ in better shape.” Noctis took a long breath, knowing Ignis had meant himself and Prompto more than anyone. He clumsily got to his feet and held out a hand to his wounded friend.

“You okay to walk?” he asked. The blond smiled and took his hand. The dormitory wasn’t far, at least.

* * *

Prompto woke with a start, glancing around the room for a panicked few seconds before calming himself once more. He’d lost track of how many times he’d woken up by now. Glancing at the clock he’d found in one of the drawers, he sighed. He was only managing about twenty or thirty minutes of sleep each time. Taking in a calmer look of the room, he noticed something wrong - Noct was missing. The others had objected when the prince had offered to stand first watch, but he remained adamant that he wasn’t sleepy and that the others needed rest much more. Prompto had no idea how he’d managed to get them to agree.

He felt uneasy, as it slowly dawned on him that he hadn’t seen Noctis for a while. He’d just assumed that the prince would be there in the room, but he could only really recall seeing the sleeping forms of Gladio and Ignis.

“Noct?” Prompto whispered, hoping to get some reaction as a panicked feeling rose within him. Sighing as the only response he got was a half snore from Gladio, he got to his feet and waited for the automatic doors to let him through. It only took a few seconds to find his target; Noct was positioned in a storage alcove, sat on a box, arms rested on his raised knee as he stared blankly at the wall in front of him. “Finally found you,” the gunner said cheerily, relieved to see he was okay. Noctis barely turned his head in acknowledgement. Prompto stood still awkwardly for a few seconds before walking up and taking a seat next to his friend. “So, what are you doing out here?”

“Thought I heard something. Came to take a look,” Noct replied quietly. “Thought it was easier, staying out here. Just in case.”

“Oh, I see.” Prompto swung his legs, taking note of the disjointed sentences as he watched his friend. His breathing seemed unusually deliberate for someone who wasn’t exerting themselves. Each breath seemed too deep, too forced to be natural. He really needed some rest.

“You should be asleep, y’know,” Noct’s statement caught him off guard. It was true, he should be. But he was having a hard time with that right now, and he was hardly the one that needed sleep most out of the two of them.

“Oh! Um, well,” Prompto stuttered, trying to find the words. He sighed, realising he should just come clean. “I can’t sleep. I keep waking up, and...I've been kinda panicking a bit. I keep thinking I’m all alone again. Sorry if you had to see any of that, by the way.” He laughed a little to cover up how on edge he felt as he fidgeted with a loose patch on his jacket. “I guess it still hasn’t sunk in that you guys are really here.”

Noctis took the words in silently, leaning back on the wall and dropping his knee down. “They really did a number on you, huh?” _And it was my fault that happened_ , he added mentally.

“It wasn’t too bad,” Prompto sighed. “Yeah, I got roughed up a bit, and I _hated_ being alone, but the worst of it was Ardyn.” Noct twitched visibly at the name. “He’d come waltzing in, telling me you weren’t coming to get me, that you’d all abandoned me and left me to rot.” A lifeless chuckle left his mouth. “After a while though, he started saying that the Empire had killed you, even offered multiple times for me to see your scourge-infested corpses. After a while, I almost said ‘yes’, just to get it over with. But I knew it wasn’t true. You guys are too strong to get killed by Imperials.”

There was a long silence; Prompto figured that Noct didn’t know what to say. Chances are he was already beating himself up enough about it.

“Hey, Noct. Can I ask you something?” Noctis looked over to his friend as he finally spoke up again. He nodded slightly. “No offense or anything, but how much sleep have you had since you got here?” The prince looked stunned at the question.

“W-what do you mean?” he asked incredulously.

“Well, I’m gonna have to be honest, you don’t look right, like you’re gonna pass out any minute.” Noct scowled at the comment, staring back at the wall in front of him again. “So...?”

Noct sighed. “I don’t know. I blacked out one time, I think, and that was about it.” Prompto frowned. “I bet you slept worse than me, though.”

“Actually,” the gunner started. “I think I slept _way_ more than I probably should have. Or tried to, anyway. Turns out when you’re just hanging there waiting for Ardyn’s next round of taunts, there isn’t much to do besides trying to catch some Zs.” Prompto immediately regretted his choice of words as he saw Noctis hunch over himself. He wasn’t helping ease his friend’s guilt one bit. “Noct, it’s fine, really. Me having a bit of trouble sleeping right now is one of the best outcomes, honestly!” He tried to laugh it off, but the laugh faded into another silence.

“I should’ve been quicker. It’s my fault.”

“Noct, you haven't slept enough as it is, you couldn’t _possibly_ have got here quicker. It really wasn’t your fault, things got really out of control and--”

“I wasn’t focusing on the train, I couldn’t even tell the difference in how you and Ardyn _speak_ . And if I had my weapons, if I could warp, use magic, _anything_ , I could’ve found you so much quicker. I’m sorry.”

Prompto paused for a moment. Since when couldn’t he do any of that? He didn’t have time to think about that right now. Placing a hand on Noct’s shoulder, he smiled. “It wasn’t your fault the Kings decided to punish you over some silly argument, y’know.” Prompto felt Noct take in a deep shuddering breath, slowly letting it out as if stalling for time.

“It...wasn’t just that argument, Prompto,” Noct said quietly. Prompto tilted his head curiously. “When you found the ring, it was...I left it there. I chose to abandon it. I _betrayed_ my ancestors. So it _was_ my fault. I just made everything worse.” He’d curled up tight, Prompto’s heart sinking at his friend’s confession. “I thought I could fix it on my own, without anyone knowing how badly I screwed up.” Noct shoulders tensed, a breath catching in his throat as as he realised what what he was saying. He shouldn’t be doing this, not to Prompto. He’d been through enough already, it wasn’t fair.

“Noct?” The gunslinger tried to get his friend’s attention, but it fell flat. “Noct, come on, man. Talk to me. It’s fine, honest!”

“N-no...it’s okay,” Noct numbled. “You’ve had it way worse than me.” _Everyone’s had it worse, really._ “I shouldn’t have told you all that.”

“Like I said, it’s cool! You gotta vent if you need to, it's _way_ more important than listening to me. I mean, I don’t matter compared to you--”

“ _Of course you matter!_ ”

Prompto stopped instantly as the words echoed throughout the corridors. Noctis was looking directly at him, his tired eyes so full of guilt and frustration. “Noct…”

“I hate that you actually mean things like that that, that you think you’re nothing compared to me, or anyone…” he said quietly, looking away. “I got the Kings more and more pissed just because I wanted to save _you_. I don’t care if you’re of ‘impure origin’ or whatever crap they call civilians nowadays. Don’t tell me you don’t matter. _Please_ .” He didn’t even notice Prompto fidget with his wristband at those words. They held a much bigger impact than he even knew. “I've been moving forward on others’ sacrifices for so long. Can't I just _save_ someone for once?” His voice cracked, and everything crashed down at once as tears began to fall.

Prompto quietly wrapped his arms around his friend, Noctis leaning into him. Hearing a mumbled apology, the gunner couldn’t help but smile. “It’s okay Noct, I told you. Everything’s fine now. We’re all together. We’ll get the Kings to stop being jerks, and then we’ll find the Crystal and get it back.”

It was a few minutes before Noctis moved away, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. Prompto couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t exactly look any worse; truly a testament to how exhausted the prince must have been. He took a deep breath, weighing his options in the silence. Noct deserved to know why the Kings were so mad, surely. At least, he was pretty sure he knew why.

“Hey, so I--”

He was cut short as the automatic doors opened and Gladio paced out, immediately spotting the two. “Just woke up and saw you both were missing. What’s going on?”

“Nothing much, just relaxing in the scenic loveliness of a Gralean corridor,” Prompto said dreamily as he patted Noct on the back, earning a tired laugh from him.

“Well, you’re way past waking me up for my watch. You two get some sleep.”

“Sure thing, boss,” Prompto said cheerily, gently taking Noct by the wrist and leading him back inside. Noct immediately slumped on the bed, then looked up at the younger man.

“So, you said you couldn’t sleep on your own, right?” His words were slurring together by now. “Maybe...stay with me? It’s not much, but...you won’t be alone.”

Prompto smiled. He was pretty sure that Noct understandably wanted him nearby after everything that had happened. He wouldn’t deny that he wanted to make sure his friend wasn’t going to vanish either. They both crawled into bed, Prompto’s arm around his waist, gripping tightly onto his shirt.

“Hey Noct.”

“Hm?”

“You said you couldn’t use your weapons or magic or anything. What happened?”

A pause. “I...may have said I wanted to find you more than I wanted to find the Crystal. The Kings got mad. I didn’t lose my weapons until after I met with the Glacian though.” Noct let out a sigh. “I don’t even know what I did to piss them off that time.”

“What if...it wasn’t the Kings that took your weapons away?”

“ _What?_ ” Noct turned his head to blearily look at Prompto.

“When Ardyn was taunting me, I think he mentioned something about a machine that would weaken you. I didn’t get what he meant before, but...do you think it’s related?” After a glimmer of hope flashed in Noct’s eyes, Prompto had to hold him down as he sat up to get off the bed. “Nuh-uh, you’re not going now. You’re getting some rest, and then we’re doing this together.” The prince slumped back onto the bed, immediately feeling an arm slung over him once more and Prompto’s other free arm lazily playing with his hair.

“ _Fine_. Really hoping you’re right on this one.” There was an air of unease in his tired voice.

“Me too, buddy.”

 

“Hey, Prompto?”

“Yeah?”

“...Thanks.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sweet, sweet fluff. How I missed you~
> 
> Noct finally confessing was a pretty last minute addition for me, honestly, but it became one of my favourite parts to write. I'm just glad they're all together again ;w;
> 
> Thanks everyone for reading! <3
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Give me your trust and I will not fail you. You have my word as the King of Lucis".

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go, final chapter! I honestly can't get over how absolutely amazing you've all been, I thank you all so so much - from those who have read from the beginning to those who have only just found this fic. You are all amazing and have made every minute of this an absolute joy. Thank you, and I hope you'll enjoy the finale <3

A badly repressed snort of laughter woke Prompto up, who found he and Noct were practically tangled up together while sleeping. He pulled away, waking the prince in the process, a smile of relief at the sleepy mumbling. Finally looking to the source of the sound, he found Gladio was watching over them while organising their items, and Ignis sat at on the opposite bed, an undeniable smirk plastered on his face.

“You could’ve woken us up if we’re heading off soon,” Prompto mumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He looked between the two of them as he sat on the edge of the bunkbed.

“You two looked so peaceful, we wanted to let you sleep some more,” Gladio responded, turning back to his task, an amused smile still on his face. He jerked his thumb in Noctis’ direction. “Don’t think I’ve ever seen His Highness so clingy before. Good job getting him to sleep.” Prompto smiled again, looking back at Noct. He was awake, the gunner could tell, just having a hard time with the whole ‘being awake’ thing. An irritated mumble came from the prince’s mouth as his hair got ruffled playfully.

“Who knows what’s ahead,” Prompto said quietly, not taking his eyes from his friend. “You really think we’re ready as we are?”

“We have little choice, I’m afraid,” Ignis said grimly. “Time is running short, we’ve been able to afford this time to rest, but now we must make haste.”

“Yeah…” Prompto gently nudged Noct’s shoulder. “Come on, buddy. I know sleep is great, but we’ve got work to do, right?” He didn’t want to outright mention the machine blocking Noct’s weapons around the others, just in case it got shot down before they’d even looked.

“I’m up, I’m up…” Noctis said with a whine, pushing himself into a sitting position and squinting around. His almost constant headache had mostly dulled, and besides the dull throb that emanated from the ring, he felt a lot more alert in body and mind. Even then, it took him a moment to fully realise he wasn’t all alone in the lifeless dormitory. Seeing his friends before him gave him a warmth he hadn’t felt in weeks.

“Everyone all set?” Gladio checked, already stood at the open door. Ignis got to his feet, as did Prompto and Noct. The two younger members stretched as they walked, a dreaded feeling looming over each of them that that had been the last proper sleep they got until it was all over.

As they walked down the corridor, Ignis suddenly halted. Prompto, who had taken place once more by his side, turned to him, confused. “What’s up, Iggy?”

“Do you hear that?” he asked quietly, ears training in on a slight hum in the air. After a few seconds silence, he nodded his head. “I feel as if I’ve heard it before.”

“It almost sounds like machinery,” Noct said, casting a glance at Prompto. His friend nodded in reply. “Come on, it might be a generator or something we can bust up.” They headed in the direction of the sound, finally arriving in the middle of a large circular walkway with a tower sealed in the centre. “So, this is the thing?” Ignis let out an affirming hum as they got closer.

A few agitated attempts to pry the door open later, Noctis sighed. “It’s locked tight.”

“The sound’s coming from within. Is there no way through?” Ignis asked. A pause filled the air as they considered their options, before Prompto stepped forward.

“There’s a way.” His tone was almost fearful as he walked up to the door, arm raised, the entry scanner giving him clearance as the doors slid open. Everyone stood in stunned silence as the gunner nervously avoided their eye contact. “So, those MTs. They’ve got these code prints. Just like I do.”

Noct tilted his head, confused. “They do? I can’t say I noticed.”

“Yeah...So, turns out I’m one of them. Not exactly something I could tell people growing up in Lucis.” He finally set his eyes on the prince. “Guess you could say I’m someone of ‘impure origin’, right?” Noct’s heart sank at those words as everything clicked into place. The Kings weren’t punishing him for wanting to save his friend, but for wanting to save an MT. His stomach turned at the thought of the Kings associating Prompto with those inhuman soldiers.

“Prompto...”

“I wasn’t worth making the Kings mad at you, Noct,” he said, blinking back the tears that began to form. “I’m sorry. I just...hope we can still be friends, even after all this.” Noct took a step towards him, expression unreadable.

“I wouldn’t have abandoned you, Prompto. Ever,” he said seriously. “And if you got taken again, I’d still pick you over the Kings and the Crystal. I’d  _ always _ pick you guys over them. Who cares where you’re from?” Prompto looked stunned.

“B-but I lied to you all! The Kings punished you because of who I am!  _ What _ I am!”

“That was Noct’s decision to make. He can fix his own mess,” Gladio stepped behind the gunner, clapping a hand on his back. There was a light edge to his voice, unlike his usual chastising tone. “And you’re not in a hurry to betray us, right? You’ve more than shown your worth as an ally.”

“It’s true. I don’t see you turning against us. Not now, not ever. ‘Impure origin’ or not, as you so put it,” Ignis added, an honest smile on his face. Noct cast a reassuring smirk at the gunner, Gladio keeping his hand on the blond for support. Prompto couldn’t understand, why weren’t they angry? His eyes darted between them, to find the right words to make them understand his confusion. After a few seconds, his frustration couldn’t help but melt away as he saw the tired but heartfelt smile Noct gave him. Prompto knew they’d all meant every word.

“So, are we good to go, crown citizen?” The gunner couldn’t help but smile at the warmness in the prince’s voice as he paced over and lightly nudged his friend.

They entered what appeared to be a throne room of sorts. Noct took notice of the MT remains that lay on the floor, then cast a confused glance at the clothes that were strewn over the throne; he’d noticed quite a few cases of unseen Niflheim personnel shedding their clothing. How strange.

“Noct, over here! I think this is it!” He turned his head towards the hopeful voice, walking closer as Prompto examined the machine. He turned to Gladio and Ignis, anticipating their confusion. “There's a chance the Kings didn't seal away Noct’s weapons,” he explained. “It might be this machine, but we need a way to disable it.  _ Wait, Noct--! _ ” He ducked out of the way as Noct rushed forward and began to bludgeon the device with one of the fallen MT’s severed arms.

Prompto watched on, stunned and almost amused as Gladio joined in, kicking at the console, sparks bursting from it with each strike. The gunner stepped back to stand by Ignis, who’s mouth was twisted into a position of utmost distaste against the sound of clashing metal. It took a few attacks, but finally the whirring stopped and the lights glimmering across the machine died down. Noctis looked to his friend briefly, and Prompto saw both hope and fear in his eyes.

“There’s only one way to find out, right?” he said, anticipating the prince’s question as optimistically as he could muster. Noctis took a few steps away from them, his deep breaths trembling as he psyched himself up, hand stretched before him.

The brilliant flash of blue caught him completely off guard. He stumbled back slightly as the Engine Blade formed within his grasp. It wasn’t just the glow of the weapon; Prompto could see the his friend’s eyes light up with new vigour as he summoned and cast away each of his weapons, gazing at each one with childlike joy.

_ “Magic…I feel it...” _

Noct kept his weapon drawn as he glanced around. “What...was that?” Prompto asked timidly at the distorted voice that echoed around.

_ “The ring...shall be mine!” _

The group jumped back as a daemon ferociously crashed through the entrance of the room, diving towards Noctis. Gladio stepped to block the attack with his shield without a moment’s hesitation, growling as he forced the enemy back. The prince rushed forward to slice at it. He recognised this daemon - it had pursued him on a couple of occasions. Had it spoken before? He couldn’t remember in the heat of battle.

_ “For the glory of the Empire...relinquish the ring!” _

Something fell into place for Ignis. “Could it be…the Emperor?”

“ _ What _ ?” Noct gasped as he blocked another of the creature’s clawed attacks, casting his eyes back quickly at the pile of clothes that lay on the throne. Were those his robes? That explained a few things. The daemon emperor vanished into the ground in a matter of seconds. The prince caught sight of Prompto moving his way protectively beside Ignis, and Gladio pacing around for any sign of where the creature had gone. A roar and a sharp cry caught Gladio’s attention, racing over as Noct was bowled to the ground by the Emperor, barely managing to keep him away with a holy spell, the protective barrier growing harder to maintain with each strike.

_ “Yeeessss...give me that power…” _

Multiple gunshots hit the daemon’s back, followed by Gladio’s greatsword practically cleaving it in two. Noct got to his feet, gasping for breath as the fallen emperor began to dissolve away into an all-too familiar black ooze.

_ “The empire shall span...all the lands… _

_ By the Crystal’s Light...we shall flourish… _

_ I shall arise...as ruler...of the world!” _

An awkward silence followed, Prompto walking over to Noct, who was swaying tiredly on his feet, placing an arm around his shoulder and smiling. “You okay?” he asked, finding his vision focusing on the burns that ran up his friend’s arm and face.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Noctis replied quietly, fidgeting himself free and taking a few steps forward. “We all good to go?”

“Ready as we’ll ever be,” Gladio replied, placing a hand on Ignis’ back to guide him out of the room.

* * *

The path to the hangar was more of the same; full of daemons and rogue MTs. Except now the four of them had access to their weapons, making their fights a lot more clean cut. It seemed to be mutually agreed between Prompto, Gladio and Ignis that Noctis was to use the ring’s power as little as possible; any moment of weakness shown in the prince was covered by his companions in an instant. Noct was more grateful to them than he could even say, hoping his thankful smile whenever pulled out of a tricky situation would be enough to let them know.

“So, the central elevator’s through here,” Noct said as they approached the hangar. They found themselves in a wide open area. Noct glanced around, something didn’t feel right.

_ ‘Your Majesty, your precious Crystal awaits you.’ _

_ Shit _ . Not Ardyn again. It was so nice not hearing him over the speakers.

_ ‘To liven things up, I thought I’d take you on a stroll down memory lane. Of course, memories decay with time.’ _

The loading bay doors opened, revealing the repulsive sight of a half-daemonized Ravus, dripping with black ooze as he stumbled forward, letting out a distorted gut-wrenching cry.

_ ‘Kill me...end it…’ _

The words hit hard; he was still human enough to know what he had become. Noct daren’t speak the Tenebraean prince’s name, he couldn’t will himself to acknowledge the poor soul’s fate.

“Is that Ravus?” Gladio’s words confirmed it.

“Or what’s left of him…”

“Damnit!” Noct scowled as Prompto inadvertently drove home the situation. They’d have to finish the job and put him out of his misery. As each called forth their weapons, they took a wary stance. If Ravus was already more than a force to be reckoned with back at the Aracheole Stronghold, there was no telling what he was capable off now.

Gladio hung back to stayed close to Ignis as Noct and Prompto moved swiftly around the open space, drawing Ravus’ attention as they gauged his strength in this mutated form.

He was fast - much faster than thought possible. As Noct managed to connect his blade into the daemon’s shoulder, he was soon across the arena from them, shooting up a horrid pillar of black ooze from the ground, enveloping the prince. He wanted to scream at the ice that swept through him, but found he couldn’t. He was frozen in place, barely hearing his friend’s voices calling out to him. Was it a few seconds or hours when whatever had petrified him had released his hold, leaving him crumpled on the floor, choking back air before hauling himself upright once more. Prompto had rushed over to meet with him, firing off a few defensive shots to keep the danger away from him.

It was hard to evade his attacks, especially the long range ones. Gladio could barely manage to parry an attack from Ravus’ sword, while Noctis opted to dodging and attacking from behind when he wasn’t using holy to keep the strikes away from him. He missed his warp skills more than ever, glancing around and spotting all the high areas he could so easily gain advantage from. If he could only reach them.

The petrification Ravus could cast was far worse than the physical assaults launched at them. Each time one of them was struck by it, it took more and more energy out of them, wondering how many more times they would be able to recover from it.

Too many potions later, the party stood battered as Ravus fell, a distorted gurgle rising from his throat as he melted away to nothing. Gladio spoke words of tribute to the fallen High Commander as they gazed sorrowfully at the sight. So many thoughts ran through Noctis’ head; from the last time he’d seen Ravus when Tenebrae had fallen, to the notes that he’d found that showed a side to the man Noct had long hoped still remained. The poor man had died once, why couldn’t he have been allowed his rest? His fists clenched as he thought of the twisted things Ardyn was capable of.

“Something’s not right.” Ignis’ words broke Noct out of his thoughts as he glanced around, waiting for whatever his advisor had sensed to reveal itself.

“Look alive - company!” Gladio confirmed Ignis’ warning as daemons rose out of the ground, surrounding them. They weren’t too powerful between them, but in large numbers and with their team still reeling from the precious battle, it was a challenge.

They weren’t letting up, however. No matter how many they defeated, more waves took their place. “They just keep on coming!” Prompto cried, sending a lone Snaga flying backwards with a fire of his gun. Noctis willed his Armiger to come back more than anything. Even with his weapons back, he felt so powerless to help his friends, to stop the ceaseless threats that plagued them. He growled when, as expected, he could not call the power forth.

“Noct, you must go on alone.” Ignis’ voice was raised but firm. Noctis froze and turned to face him.

“ _ What _ ?”

“If you can obtain the Crystal’s power, we may yet be able to turn the tide. Elsewise, we are all like to perish here.” Noct didn’t want to believe what he was hearing. Of course, it was the most rational course of action - this was  _ Ignis _ , logic lay at the centre of his being - but the last thing he wanted to do was leave.

“Iggy’s right. It’s our only chance,” Gladio agreed. Shit, this really was bad if they were willing to play the distraction while he got away.

“But what about you?” he gasped out, dodging an incoming attack.

“We’ll manage somehow! Just get moving!” Hearing those words from Prompto while he was forcing back a handful of daemons while pinned in a corner twisted Noct’s stomach. There wasn’t much he could do, but surely the four of them could win together!

_ ‘You could still get to the Crystal...if you went on your own. Your friends will have to stay behind.’ _

So Ardyn was planning this all along; that his friends risk their lives against the daemon hordes while he fled. The Chancellor’s slimy voice sent a shiver down his spine. Everything they’d sought to achieve in this damned Keep just played into the twisted man’s hands. Casting a glance over at the sudden clash of metal, he saw the elevator opening up.

Inviting him and  _ only _ him.

Noct sucked in a harsh breath. He couldn’t believe he was doing this. Couldn’t believe he was going to willingly abandoning his friends.

He sprinted to the elevator, not daring to turn his back as the doors closed behind him.

It felt like an eternity as the elevator finally stopped on the lower floor. Noctis didn’t have time to just stand there, frustratedly forcing the doors open and squeezing through them at the first chance. A tannoy message sounded overhead, echoing throughout the expansive room.

_ ‘Hangar gate closing. Please stand clear.’ _

Time was even shorter than he’d imagined. As his eyes darted to spy any shortcuts, another, more obnoxiously familiar voice rang over the speakers.

_ ‘You’d better think fast. I don’t envy you your decision.’ _

“Shit!” Noct hissed under his breath. Daemons were swarming around him, ready to block his path. He sliced and dodged his way past the creatures, wincing as their attacks grazed him, brushing them aside as he made his way through the confined walkways.

_ ‘Betraying your friends for the greater good - the mark of a monarch! Step forth, Your Majesty!’ _

He grit his teeth as he tried to ignore the words. Betrayal was the last thing on his mind, he was doing this to save them!

A scream halted him instantly. He didn’t need to turn around to know that Prompto had been hit hard. His blood chilled as he heard Gladio calling for him, a clang of metal and an all-too audible growl of pain rang through the air from his shield. If those two were in trouble, then Ignis…

_ ‘If you wish to obtain the Crystal’s power, you must be prepared to lose all else.’ _

Noct’s breath caught in his throat. The Crystal could rid them of the daemons, could give his friends a chance to all get out alive...but at the rate things were going, they wouldn’t even last that long. He sucked in a deep shaky breath, eyes scrunched tight as he turned to face the makeshift arena he had left barely moments before.

For the second time, he chose his companions over the Crystal.

And with the countdown hanging over his head, the Kings were furious.

Barely a few rushed steps back towards the elevator and a feeling of fear washed over him - excruciating heat burst from his arm and the prince collapsed to his knees. He watched, wide-eyed and gasping for air, as flames began to surround his hand and edged their way up his arm.

“W- _ wait _ !” he choked out, barely hearing Ardyn’s snide chuckle echoing across the area. “I just...I have to--” He cried out as the pain somehow got worse. The daemons that had emerged around him grew ever closer as he fell to the floor on his side, breath hitching as constant waves of pain exploded around his smoldering arm and throughout his entire body. Eyes tightly shut, he mentally willed everything to stop, to make the Kings understand. The sounds of battle around him were fading to nothing as he could feel his consciousness fade away, yet he could still hear his friends’ desperate cries as they fought for their lives. He had doomed them all. “ _ Damnit… _ ” he said in barely a whisper.

_ “Time and again you have chosen to betray both your ancestors and the Crystal. You would dare speak with us to justify yourself?” _

Noct forced his eyes open and attempted to haul himself at least somewhat upright with his left arm. His right arm now felt like a dead weight, twitching from shots of pain that fired up it, the burning he felt still too far too strong. Everything seemed to have stopped, just like before. That meant the voice he heard was…

_ “Do you truly have nothing to say?” _

His eyes narrowed at the sight of the old Kings who once more loomed over him, judging his very existence. After a long moment of looking between the foreboding figures, then to the frozen scene of his friends in danger, he spoke as calmly as he could muster. “I have go back. I have to save them.”

He never expected to hear the Kings  _ laugh _ . It was loud and it hurt. He winced, head pounding as the dying laughter left a ringing in his ears.

_ “You would bring the world to ruin for two who were born to die for you, and one who was born of corrupted means?” _

Noct’s jaw clenched at the words. To hear his friends, his  _ brothers _ , spoken of so lowly made his blood boil. He sucked in a sharp intake of air as he fought for the words, cut short of his response as he glanced up at the familiar suit of armour that stepped in front of him.

“Dad…” he said with a shaky breath. The prince closed his eyes and shook his head. “Stand down.” Regis turned to face his son. There was no expression to be found there, but Noct knew what he would have seen, had it been his father’s face staring back at him. He staggered to his feet, to meet his gaze with the Kings. “You don’t have to protect me anymore.” A weak but reassuring smile passed his lips. “I’ll be fine. I can do this. I promise.”

His left hand edged towards the deceased king, lingering with hesitation before dropping back to his side. Words would be enough. They  _ had _ to be enough. “Thanks, dad. For everything.” It was so hard not give into the tears that threatened to spill as Regis stepped to the side, nodding his head slowly towards the prince. A sense of pride filled him, seeping through from his father’s spirit, as he turned to focus on the Kings once more.

“Kings of Lucis,” he began, mustering as much regal authority in his voice as he could manage. “As I said before - I have to save my friends. I’m  _ going _ to save them.” He barely managed to mask the pained grimace on his face as the heat around his arm began to intensify once more.

_ “Insolent child. You stand before us to betray your kingdom.” _

A strained laugh left him before he’d even realised. “I don’t betray my kingdom.” He motioned to his companions, still in their frozen state. “They  _ are _ my kingdom. Insomnia - all of Lucis - is no kingdom worth protecting if they aren't standing by my side.” He couldn’t hold back a cry this time as the flames seared harder. Struggling to keep his eyes open, he held the Kings’ gaze, shifting his attention between them. “So what are you going to do, then? Destroy me?” he demanded, holding his burning arm as he stumbled on his feet.

The Kings gave no answer.

“The line of Lucis goes with me. No chosen, no one to use the ring, no one to rule the kingdom  _ you _ failed to protect in the first place!” He could have sworn he saw the spirits tense at his accusation. Damnit, if he was going to die right here, with the world hanging in the balance, he may as well go out in a literal blaze of glory.

Their silence and the dulling flames around his arm told him they were on the ropes. It was time to talk terms.

“I still mean every word I said,” he began. “I’ve found the Royal Arms, and I’m here for the Crystal. Nothing has changed. I’m still pushing forward on the sacrifices made for me.” A sharp breath, glancing to his companions. “But not them. I’ll never let them become sacrifices on my behalf. I’ll find the Crystal, I’ll do whatever’s needed of me, no matter what. But they  _ live _ .” The look he gave the Kings could only be described as ferocious. “And you’re going to give me the power to allow that.”

The silence was long and piercing, but Noctis stood firm, eyes locked on the Kings before him, his focus and resolve unwavering.

_ “And what powers would you request?” _

Their tone was almost cautious, a severe departure from their usual demeanor.

“All of them. Everything you took from me. Give me your trust and I will not fail you. You have my word as the King of Lucis.”

_ “And if you should fail--” _

“Then do with me what you must.” The words were heavy. He knew very well that one slip up could cost him, his brothers,  _ the entire world _ , more than he could possibly imagine. A few more agonising seconds of nothing, until he felt something stir within him, like a candle that had long been extinguished finally reigniting. While the fires of the Ring of the Lucii had only caused pain, this fire drove deep within his spirit, filling him with an energy he thought lost forever.

A weary look over to his father’s spirit caused a hitch in his breath. He could almost see the image of the late king smiling upon him, eyes glistening with unshed tears. A subtle nod was passed between them, with a warm smile on Noct’s face. “I’m ready,” he finally spoke to the Kings.

The spirits faded and time resumed, but things were much different this time. An explosion of light burst from Noctis, the Royal Arms of his ancestors whirling protectively around him as the daemons recoiled from its glow. He raised his right arm to direct the weapons, the burns on his arm now forgotten, tearing through the beasts that threatened his friends.

Gladio and Prompto shielded their eyes, looking to the brilliant flash that emerged. As he looked away, the gunner finished downing one of the few remaining potions, letting out a gasp as he felt the effects of the curative stronger than before.

“No way…”

Gladio’s voice had him looking back in the direction of the light, his heart skipping a beat as he saw Noctis stood there, the Armiger Arsenal once more at his command. Gladio couldn’t take his eyes off the prince-- no, the  _ king _ , even as the looming daemons were ripped apart by the Royal Arms.

Ignis could sense the sheer power in the air, making his way towards the other two’s voices. “Is that…?”

“Yeah,” Prompto replied, his voice shaking in awe. “I knew he could do it.”

The daemons slain, Noct kept his focus on his friends. A smile from ear to ear crossed his face, yet his eyes betrayed sadness. Keeping his arm raised, a force field surrounded his companions. “Be safe. I beg you.” His voice cracked, just the smallest amount, as he ran off to the doors as the countdown continued.

Prompto pressed his hands against the barrier, watching as his friend sped away. The daemons were reforming once again, but couldn’t lay a tooth or claw on them. Not while Noctis was around. It was an agonising wait for their friend. They didn’t even know how long it had been, and tensions were high as they feared the magical shield might dissolve at any minute, either by the might of the daemons or…

It vanished suddenly. There was no time to question it as they fought off the daemons and made their way to the hangar gate. Prompto doubted whether his barcode would have clearance on such an important mechanism, but stumbled back in surprise as he saw the door open before them. A race up the elevator and along the walkway only met them with a figure they had hoped never to see again. As Ardyn Izunia stood before them, they knew it was too late.

“Your friend is having a little ‘alone time’ with the Crystal, I’m afraid,” he said nonchalantly, with a casual wave of his hand as he walked by them. A shot to his back and a sword cleaving through him was the best response they had, only to find him immediately rise and leave them in the lonely chamber, wondering with fear and rage what had happened to their king.

As Noctis learnt of his fate, he sank deeper into the Crystal’s depths, gaining the power he would need to fulfil his word to the old Kings of Lucis, to the Crystal, and to the world. And as these memories, fears and longing all welled up within him, the Ring of the Lucii’s light gently thrummed alongside the beating of his heart and his chest’s uncertain rise and fall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually got pretty emotional writing this chapter. I ended up making a few (sometimes accidental) references to lyrics/dialogue from the game for that extra punch. I think it paid off :'D So happy to finally put the emporer boss fight in the throne/central room too. That had been bugging me for a while xD
> 
> Nothing else much to say, besides well done Noct for finally giving the verbal smackdown to the Kings!
> 
> Thank you all once again for reading, you're all totally awesome and I love you all!
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I may be taking a few liberties with how Noct's powers work in relation to the Kings and the Crystal. Hope it's not too jarring. It all adds to the fun though! Well, suffering.
> 
> I've got a few chapters written for this story already, so updates shouldn't be too far apart~
> 
> So while writing this I learnt that escalating arguments are very hard to write. Lots of rewrites. I'd written 5 chapters before I even got to finishing that part off.
> 
> Thanks for reading!
> 
> ~Find me at [doodlebless](doodlebless.tumblr.com) for my creative blog and [angel-bless](angel-bless.tumblr.com) for fandom~


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